THE    PROPERTY 


77/£    Pf    -ERTT  OF 


I    AMiON  AMES,     f     I  NATH    M  WOOD 


'WfrM^ 

University  of  California  •  Berkeley 


Gift  of 
ARTHUR  L.  ASKINS 


* 


BARBABITIE! 


OF    THE 


ENEMY, 


EXPOSED    IN    A 


REPORT 


Of  the  Committee  of  the  House  of  Representatives  of 
the  United  States,  appointed  to  enquire  into  the 
spirit  and  manner  in  which  the  war  has  been  waged 
by  the  enemy* 


AND    THE 


DOCUMENTS, 

ACCOMPANYING  SAID  REPORT. 

PRINTED  AT  WORCESTER 
BY  ISAAC  STURTEVANT, 

FOR  REMARK  DUNNBLL, 

«g.  ••.:<• 'UB.  - 
1814. 


BARBARITIES  OF  THE  ENEMY: 


A  committee  having  been  raised  on  this  subject  in  the 
House  of  Representatives  of  the  United  States  early  in 
the  session  of  May,  1813,  Mr.  Macon,  the  chairman,  at 
the  close  of  the  session  made  the  following  Report : 

The  committee  to  whom  was  referred  that  part 

of  the  President's  Message  "  which  "relates 

to  tlie  spirit  and  manner  in  which  the  war 

has  been  waved  by  the  enemy" 
REPORT : 

That  they  have  collected  and  arranged  all 
the  testimony  on  this  subject  which  could  at 
this  time  be  procured.  This  testimony  is  sub 
mitted  to  the  consideration  of  the  House,  ar 
ranged  under  the  following  heads  : 

First.  Bad  treatment  of  American  prison 
ers  : 

Second.  Detention  ox  American  prisoners 
as  British  subjects,  on  the  plea  of  nativity  in 
the  dominions  of  Britain,  or  of  naturalization  : 

Third.  Detention  of  mariners  as  prisoners 
of  war,  who  were  in  England  when  the  war 
was  declared  : 

Fourth.  Compulsory  service  of  impressed 
American  seamen  on  board  British  ships  of 
war : 

Fifth.  Violation  of  flags  of  truce  : 

Sixth.  Ransom  of  American  prisoners  from. 
Indians  in  the  British  service  : 


4  REPORT. 

Seventh.  Pillage  and  destruction  of  private 
property  on  the  Chesapeake  bay,  and  in  the 
neighboring;  country : 

Eighth.  Massacre  and  burning  of  American 
prisoners  surrendered  to  officers  of  Great  Brit 
ain,  by  Indians  in  the  British  service. — Aban 
donment  of  the  remains  of  Americans  killed 
in  battle  or  murdered  after  the  surrender  to 
the  British.  The  pillage  and  shooting  of 
American  citizens,  and  the  burning  of  their 
houses  after  surrender  to  the  British  under  the 
guarantee  of  protection  : 

Ninth.  Outrages  at  Hampton,  in  Virginia. 

The  evidence  under  the  first  head  demon 
strates  that  the  British'  government  has  adopt 
ed  a  rigor  of  regulation  unfriendly  to  the  com 
fort  and  apparently  unnecessary  to  the  safe 
keeping  of  American  prisoners  generally..  It 
shews  also  instances  of  a  departure  from  the 
customary  rules  of  war  by  the  selection  and 
confinement  in  close  prisons  of  particular  per 
sons,  and  the  transportation  of  them  for  un 
defined  causes  from  the  ports  of  the  British 
colonies  to  the  island  of  Great  Britain. 

The  evidence  under  the  second  head  estab 
lishes  the  fact,  that  however  the  practice  of 
detaining  American  citizens  as  British  sub 
jects  may  be  regarded  as  to  the  principle  it  in 
volves,  that  such  detentions  continue  to  occur, 
through  the  agency  of  the  naval  and  other 
commanders  of  that  government.  It  proves, 
too,  that  however  unwilling  to  allow  other  na 
tions  to  naturalize  her  subjects.  Great  Britain 
is  disposed  to  enforce  the  obligation  entered 


REPORT.  5 

into  by  their  citizens  when  naturalized  un 
der  her  own  laws.  This  practice,  even  sup 
posing  the  release  of  every  person  thus  de 
tained,  obviously  subjects  our  captured  citi 
zens,  upon  mere  suspicion,  to  hardships  and 
perils  from  which  they  ought  to  be  exempt, 
according  to  the  established  rules  in  relatiqn  to 
prisoners  of  war. 

The  evidence  under  the  third  head  shews, 
that  while  all  other  American  citizens  were 
permitted  to  depart  within  a  reasonable  time 
after  the  declaration  of  war,  all  mariners  who 
were  in  the  dominions  of  Great  Britain,  wheth 
er  they  resorted  to  her  ports  in  time  of  peace 
for  lawful  purposes,  or  were  forced  into  them 
under  pretence  of  illegal  commerce,  are  con 
sidered  prisoners  of.  war. .  The  injustice  of 
this  exception  is  not  more  apparent  than  the 
jealousy  it  discloses  towards  that  useful  class 
of  our  fellow  citizens, .  But  the  committee 
cannot  but  remark, ,  that  if  the  practice  of 
hiring  American  seamen  to  navigate  British 
vessels  is  generally  adopted  and  authorised, 
and  that  it  is  suffered  appears  from  the  adver 
tisement  of.  George  Maude,  the  British  agent 
at  Port  Royal, .  which  is  to  be  found  with  the 
testimony  collected  under  the  first  head,  that 
the  naval  strength  of  that  empire  will  be  in 
creased  in  proportion  to  the  number  of  our 
,seamen  in  bondage.  The  present  war  hay 
ing  changed  the  relation  of  the  two  counties, 
the  pretended  right  of  impressment  can  no 
longer  be  exercised,  but  the  same  end  may 
be  accomplished  by  the  substitution  of  this 


6  REPORT. 

mode.  Every  seaman  thus  employed  (the 
terms  of  whose  engagement  have  not  been 
ascertained)  increases  the  naval  strength  of 
the  enemy,  not  only  by  depriving  the  United 
States  of  his  active  services,  but  by  enabling 
Great  Britain  to  carry  on  and  even  extend 
her  commerce  without  diminishing  the  num 
ber  of  sailors  employed  in  her  vessels  of 
war. 

The  testimony  collected  under  the  fourth 
head  proves,  that  it'  is  the  ordinary  practice  of 
the  officers  of  British  armed  vessels  to  force 
impressed  Americans  to  serve  against  their 
country,  by  threats,  by  corporal  punishment, 
and  even  by  the  fear  of  immediate  execution 
— an  instructing  commentary  upon  the  pro 
fessions  of  the  government,  .of  its  readiness 
to  release  impressed  American  seamen  found 
en  board  ships  of  war, 

On  the  evidence  collected  under  the  fifth 
head,  it  is  only  necessary  to  observe,  that  in 
one  case,  the  case  of  Dr.  M'Keehan,.  the  en 
ormity  is  increased  by  the  circumstance  of 
the  flag  being  divested  of  every  thing  of  a 
hostile  character,  having  solely  for  its  object 
the  relief  of  the  wounded  and  suffering  pris 
oners  who  were  taken  at  the  River  Raisin  on 
the  22d  of  January,  1813.  Tfee  treatment  of 
Dr.  M'Keehan,  not  by  the  allies  of  Britain, 
but  by  the  officers  of  her  army,  can  only  be 
rationally  accounted  for  by  the  supposition, 
that  it  was  considered  good  policy  to  deter 
American  surgeons  from  going  to  the  relief 
of  their  countrymen,  as  the  Indian  surgeons 


REPORT.  7 

had  a  more  speedy  and  effectual  mode  of  re 
lieving  their  sufferings* 

The  evidence  respecting  the  ransom  of  A- 
merican  prisoners  from  Indians,  collected  un 
der  the  sixth  head  deserves  attention,  princi 
pally  from  the  policy  it  indicates,  and  it  is  con 
nected  with  Indian  cruelties.  Considering  the 
savages  as  an  auxiliary  military  force  in  the 
pay  of  Great  Britain,  the  amount  of  ransom 
maybe  regarded  as  pa'rt  of  their  stipulated 
compensation  for  military  services  ;  and  as 
ransoms  would  be  increased  and  their  value 
enhanced  by  the  terror  inspired  by  the  most 
shocking  barbarities,  it  may  be  safely  con 
cluded,  whatever  may  be  the  intention  of 
the  British  government,  that  the  practice  of 
redeeming  captives  by  pecuniary  means  will 
be  occasionally  quickened  by  the  butchery  of 
our  fellow  citizens,  and  by  indignities  offered 
to  their  remains  ;  as  long  as  the  Indians  are 
employed  by  the  enemy.  The  justice  of  this 
conclusion  is  confirmed  by  the  testimony  of 
those  witnesses  who  were  retained  after  ran 
soming  prisoners  of  war. 

The  testimony  collected  under  the  seventh 
head  shews,  that  the  property  of  unarmed  cit 
izens  has  been  pillaged  by  the  officers  and 
crews  of  the  British  vessels  of  war  on  our 
coast,  their  houses  burnt,  and  places  of  pub- 
lick  worship  mutilated  and  defiled,  It  appears 
that  officers,  animated  by  the  presence  of  ad 
miral  Cockburn,  particularly  distinguished 
themselves  in  these  exploits.  This  evidence 
proves,  that  they  were  governed  by  the  com- 


H  REPORT. 

bined  motives  of  avarice  and  revenge  ;  not 
satisfied  with  bearing  off,  for  their  own  con 
venience,  the  valuable  articles  found,  the  oth 
ers  which  furnished  no  allurements  to  their 
cupidity,  were  wantonly  defaced  and  destroyed. 
It  has  been  alledged,  <  in  palliation  of  these 
acts  of.  wanton  cruelty,  that  a  flag  sent  on 
shore  by  the  admiral  was  fired  upon  by  the 
American  militia. — The  evidence  proves  this 
not  to  have  been  the  fact. — This  pretence 
has  been  resorted  to  only  to  excuse  conduct 
which  no  circumstance  can  justify. . 

The  committee  forbear  to  make  any  obser 
vations  upon  the  testimony  collected  un 
der  the  eighth  head  from  a  perfect  conviction 
that  no  person  of  this  or  any  other  nation  can 
read  the  simple  narrative  of  the  different  wit 
nesses  of  the  grossest  violation  of  honour, 
justice  and  humanity,  without  the  strongest 
emotions  of  indignation  and  horror.  That 
these  outrages  were  perpetrated  by  Indians,  is 
neither  palliation  nor  excuse.  Every  civilized 
nation  is  answerable  for  the  conduct  of  the 
allies  under  their  command,  and  while  they 
partake  of  the  advantages  of  their  success, 
they  are  equally  partakers  of  the  odium  of  their 
crimes. — The  British  forces  concerned  in  the 
affair  of  the  22d,  at  the  River  Raisin,  are  more 
deeply  implicated  in  the  infamy  of  these  trans 
actions  than  by  this  mode  of  reasoning,  how 
ever  correct.  The  massacre  of  the  23d  Janu 
ary,  after  the  capitulation,  was  perpetrated 
without  any  exertion  on  their  part  to  prevent 
it ;  indeed,  it  is  apparent,  from  all  the  cir: 


REPORT.  9" 

en  instances,  that  if  the  British*  officers  did. 
not  connive  at  their  destruction,  they  were 
criminally  indifferent  about  the  fate  of  the 
wounded  prisoners.  But  what  marks  more 
strongly  the  degradation  of  the  British  soldiers, 
is  the  refusal  of  the  last  offices  of  humanity 
to  the  bodies  of  the  dead.  The  bodies  of 
our  countrymen  were  exposed  to  every  in 
dignity  and  became  food  for  brutes  in  the 
sight  of  men  who  aflecta  sacred  regard  to  the 
dictates  of  honour  and  religion.  Low  indeed 
is  the  character  of  that  army  which  is  re 
duced  to  the  confession,  that  their  savage 
auxiliaries  will  not  permit  them  to  perform 
the  rites  of  sepulture  to  the  slain.  The  com 
mittee  have  not  been  able  to  discover  even 
the  expression  of  that  detestation  which  such 
conduct  must  inspire  from  the  military  or 
civil  authority  on  the  Canadian  frontier,  un 
less  such  detestation  is  to  be  presumed  from 
the  choice  of  an  Indian  trophy  as  an  ornament 
for  the  Legislative  Hall  of  Upper  Canada. 

The  committee  have  considered  it  their 
duty  to  submit  the  evidence  collected  under 
the  ninth  head  of  the  atrocities  committed  at 
Hampton,  although  these  enormities  have 
beeiv  committed  since  their  appointment. 
These  barbarities  may  be  rationally  consid 
ered  as  the  consequence  of  the  example  set 
by  the  officers  of  the  naval  force  on  our 
coast.  Human  turpitude  is  always  progres 
sive,  and  soldiers  are  prepared  for  the  perpetra 
tion  of  the  most  dreadful  crimes  by  the  com 
mission  of  minor  offences  with  impunity*. 


W  REPORT. 

That  troops  who  had  been  instigated  by  the 
example  of  their  officers,  to  plunder  the  prop-, 
erty  and  burn  the  houses  of  unarmed  citizens, 
should  proceed  to  rape  and  murder,   need  not 
excite  surprize,  however  it  may  inspire  hor- 
rour.     For  every  detestable  violation  of  hu 
manity  an  excuse  is  fabricated  or  found.    The 
wounded  prisoners  on  the   northern  frontier 
were   massacreed    by  the   Indians  ;:  the    sick; 
murdered  and  the  women  violated  at  Hampton; 
by  foreign  troops  in  the  pay  of  Great  Britain* . 
These  pretexts,  admitting  them  to  be  true,  are 
as  disgraceful  as  the  conduct  which  made  a,> 
resort  to  them  necessary. .    Honour  and  mag-, 
nanimity  not  only  forbid  the  soldier  to  perpe 
trate  crimes,  but  require  exertion  on  his  part 
to  prevent  them.     If,  in  defiance  of  discipline,, 
acts  of  violence   are  committed  upon  any  in-, 
dividual  entitled  to  protection,   the  exemplary 
punishment  of  the  offender,  can  alone  vindi 
cate  the  reputation  of  the.  nation  by  whom  he 
is  employed,     Whether  such  exertions  were, 
made  by  the  British  soldiers,   or  the  character 
of  the  British  nation,  thus  vindicated,  the  evi 
dence  will  shew. 

The  shrieks  of  innocent  victims  of  infernal 
lust  at  Hampton  were  heard  by  the  American 
prisoners,  but  were  too  weak  to  reach  the  ears 
or  disturb  the  repose  of  the  British  officers, 
whose  duty,  as  men  required  them  to  protect 
every  female  whom  the  fortune  of  war  had 
thrown  into  their  power.  The  committee  will 
not  dwell  on  this  hateful  subject.  Human 
language  afFords.no  terms  ..strong ;  enough. to  ex». 


REPORT.  11 

press  the  emotions  which  the  examination  of 
the  evidence  has  awakened  ;  they  rejoice  that 
these  acts  have  appeared  so  incredible  to  the 
American  people.  And  for  the  honour  of  hu 
man  nature  they  deeply  regret  that  *  the  evi 
dence  so  clearly  establishes  their  truth.  In  the 
correspondence  between  tke  commanders  of 
the  American  and  British  forces  will  be  found 
what  is  equivalent  to  an  admission  of  the  facts 
by  the  British  commander.  The  committee 
have  yet  to  learn  that  the  punishment  of  the  of 
ficers  has  followed  the  conviction  of  their 
guilt.  The  power  of  retaliation  being  vested 
by  law  in  the  executive  magistrate,  no  measure 
is  considered  necessary  to  be  proposed,  but 
the  resolution  annexed  to  this  report. 

As  such  enormities,  instead  of  inspiring  ter- 
rour  as  was  probably  intended,  are  in  the  opin 
ion  of  the  committee,  calculated  to  produce  a 
contrary  effect,  they  submit  for  the  considera 
tion  of  the  House  the  following  resolution  : 

Resolved,  That  the  President  of  the  United 
States  be  requested  to  have  collected  and  pre 
sented  to  this  house,  during  the  continuance  of 
the  present  war,  evidence  of  every  departure 
by  the  enemy  from  the  ordinary  modes  of  con 
ducting  war  among  civilized  nations. 


DOCUMENT   No.  i. 


33 AD   TREATMENT  OF  AMERICAN 
PRISONERS  BY  THE  DRITISIL 

Washmgton,  May^th,  1313. 
SIR, 

JL  HAVE  received  your  favour  of  the  22d  instant, 
and  hasten  to  reply  to  the  questions  therein,  respecting 
the  case  of  captain  Jeduthun  Upton,  late  commander  of 
the  privateer  brig  Hunter,  of  Salem.  Captain  Upton, 
was  taken  in  the  month,  I  believe  of  November  last,  off 
the  western  Islands,  by  the  British  frigate  Phoebe,  cap 
tain  Milliard.  In  chase,  captain  Upton,  as  is  usual  in 
such  cases,  threw  his  guns  overboard  to  ease  his  vessel, 
in  hopes  by  that  means  to  facilitate  his  escape  from  the 
:-nemy  :  but  this  not  availing,  he  was,  as  above  stated, 
ukeii  and  carried  into  Plymouth,  in  England,  where,  on 
is  arrival,  he  was  immediately,  with  his  first  lieutenant, 
*t\  Wayne,  put  into  Mill  prison  and  refused  his  parole 
on  the  plea  that  he  had  not  on  board,  when  captur 
ed,  fourteen  mounted  carriage  gun?  above  the  calibre 
of  four  pounders.  After  having  been  thus  closely  con- 
iined  for  three  or  four  months  in  a  filthy  jail,  they  were 
in  the  month  of  March  uken  out  and  sent  on  bourd  the 
prison  ship  at  Chatham,  where,  when  I  left  England  in 
April  last,  they  still  were,  in  a  worse  situation,  iffiossi- 
blc,  than  in  Mill  prison.  The  allowance,  sir,  to  Amer 
ican  prisoners  in  England,  you  are  acquainted  with  ;  it 
is,  therefore,  not  necessary  for  me  to  mention  it  here. 
It  is  but  justice  to  state,  that  the  captain  of  the  Phoebe 
petitioned  the  transport  board  and  used  every  exertion 
in  his  power  to  obtain  the  paroles  of  captain  Upton  and 
Mr.  Wayne,  but  all  would  not  do  ;  they  were  deaf  to  his 
petition,  lost  as  they  are  to  every  sentimeat  of  honour, 
;>:id  every  principle  of  humanity. 
B 


14  BARBARITIES  OF 

Except  captain  Upton  and  his  first  lieutenant,  all  the 
rest  of  his  officers  and  crew  were  sent  on  board  the  pri 
son  ship  on  their  first  arrival  at  Plymouth  ;  amongst 
them  was  the  doctor  of  the  Hunter,  Mr.  Carter,  who 
came  home  in  the  cartel  Robinson  Potter*  What  I 
have  stated  respecting  the  treatment  of  captain  Upton 
and  Mr.  Wayne,  I  know  to  be  facts,  as  I  had  the  honour 
'of  spending  24  hours  in  Mill  prison  with  them,  and 
heard  these  facts  related  by  themselves. 
Very  respectfully,  &c. 

ADEXANEER  COFFIN,  Jim. 
3.  Mason,  Esq. 

Commissary  General  of  Prisoners. 


.J\raz>y   Yard, 

JUNE  3d.  1831. 

SIR,  I  have  the  honour  to  enclose  you  a  deposition 
respecting  inhuman  treatment,  which  Mr.  Nichols,  late 
commander  of  the  private  armed  shipDecatur,  belong 
ing  to  Newburyport,  has  received  from  the  British  gov-* 
ernment  at  Barbadoes.  I  have  been  credibly  informed 
that  capt.  Nichols  is  a  very  respectable  and  correctman, 
therefore  a  fair  presumption,  that  he  has  not  commit 
ted  himself  in  such  a.  manner  as  ought  to  deprive  him. 
of  the  established  rights  of  a  prisoner  of  war.  Any 
measure  which  the  government  of  our  country  may  see 
pro,  er  to  adopt  in  consequence  of  this  communication, 
I  shall  readily  attend  to. 

I  have  the  honour  to  be,  &:c. 

WM.   BAINBRIDGE. 
Hon.  WM.  JONES,  Secretary  of  the 

Na\y,  City  of  Washington. 

I,  James  Foot,  of  Newbury  port,  in  the  county  of  Es 
sex  and  Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts,  mariner,  tes 
tify  ant!  depose,  that  I  was  a  prize-master  on  board  the 
private  armed  briganiiue  Decatuiyof  Newburyport,  in 
her  last  cruise,  William  Nichols  commander  :  That  on 
the  1  3th  day  of  January,  now  last  past,  the  said  briganline 
was  captured  by  his  Britannic  Majesty's  frigate  Surprise, 
commanded  by  captain  Ccchran,  and  earned  into  Bar- 


THE  ENEMV.  15 

SaJbes.  After  our  arrival  at  Barbadoes,  captain  Nich 
ols,  with  the  other  officers  of  the  Decatur,  were  parol 
ed.  About  two  months  after  our  arrival,  his  Britannick 
Majesty's  frigate  Vesta  arrivied  in  Barbadoes,  and> 
through  the  influence  of  the  commander  of  the  Vesta, 
captain  Nichols,  without  any  known  or  pretended  cause, 
\vas  arrested  and  held  in  close  confinement,  without  lib 
erty  to  speak  to  any  of  his  officers  or  any  other  Ameri 
can.  The  place  where  capt.  Nichols*  was  confined  was 
about  four  feet  in  width  and  about  seven  feet  in  length, 
on  board  a  prison  ship,  where  he  remained  for  thirty- 
four  days,  as  nearly  as  I  can  recollect,  and  was  then  ta 
ken  on  board  his  Majesty's  ship  Tribune  and  carried  to 
.England.  What  the  cause  of  the  unwarrantable  and 
unjustifiable  conduct  of  the  enemv  towards  capt.  Nich 
ols  was,  I  am  unable  10  state  ;  there  were  several  reports 
in  circulation  ;  one  was  he  was  to  be  cunitcl  to  EngluiAl, 
and  held  a  prisoner  until  the  release  of  ctjilain  m  .ti  in 
France,  from  whom  capt.  Nichols  recaptured  his  ves 
sel,  which  had  been  taken  by  the  British  before  .the 
commencement  of  the  present  war  between  the  two 
countries  ;  another  report  was,  that  he  was  to  be  held 
until  the  close  of  the  war  on  account  of  riis  having  been 
active  against  the  enemy  since  the  commencement  of 
hostilities,  and  having  been  fortunate  in  a  former 
cruize.  JAMES  FOOT. 

Commonwealth  a/ *  Massachusetts, 

&SSCJC,  SS. 

On  this  thirty  first  day  of  May,  in  the  year  of  our 
Lord  1813,  personally  appeared  James  Foot,  the  sub 
scriber  to  the  foregoing  deposition  and  made  solemn 
oath  that  the  same  is  true.  lieicre  me 

JACOB  GERRISH,  Justice  of  the  Peace. 


Extract  of  a.  letter  from  the  Co/nr/ussary  General uf  pris 
oners,,  fj  Alexandtfr  Stewart,  Jksq.  Urd<.i;d  Siutct'  a- 
gentfor  jiri<wnerst  at  Jamaica,  dated, 

MAY    1st,  1813. 

"  I  enclose  you  a  copy  ofanadvertisment,  said  to  have 
been  taken  from  a  Jamaica  newspaper,  apparently  put 
forth  by  the  British  agent  for  prisoners,  proposing  lo  h::c 


16  BARBARITIES  OF 

out  American  prisoners  ;  you  will  enquire  ;nto  this 
matter,  and  if  it  be,  as  has  been  stated,  you  will  remon 
strate  stror  gly  ag  Jnst  such  a  practice  and  inform  me 
of  the  practice  and  the  result." 

[Referred  to  in  the  preceding  extract.] 

Port  Royal, 15th  J\~o-vc',nbe.r,  1813. 
Masters  of  vesse-s  about  to  proceed  to  England  with 
convoy,  are  informed  that  they  may  be  supplied  with  a 
limited  number  of  Ameaican  seamen  (prisoners  of  war), 
to  assisi  in  navigating  their  vessel?,. on  the  usual  terms,, 
by  applying  to  GEORGE  MAUDE,  agent. 

Extract  from  a  memorial  addressed  to  the  Secretary  of 
State  by  James  Grm,  Joseph  B.  Coo/t,  Thomas  Hum* 
f'.hdcttand  others-,  ?nasters  of  .American  vessels,  toh1) 
iv  "re  firisoners  nf  \var  in  En  gland,  and  returned  to 
the  United  States  in  the  cartel  shi/i  Rcbinscn  Potter. 
"  We  shall  now  proceed  to  give  as  correct  a  statement 
as  we  can  of  the  treatment  of  our  countrymen  (prison 
ers  of  war)  by  the  British  in  England.  On  the  arrival 
at  Plymouth  of  the  masters,  first  mates,  supercargoes 
and  passengers,  they  are  sent  to  Mill  prison  for  one  day 
and  night  ;  they  have  an  iron  bedstead  to  sleep  en  with,, 
a  small  matrass  which  might  easily  be  put  into  a  coun 
tryman's  wallet,  and  a  small  course  blanket.  The  allow 
ance  for  twentyfour  hours  is  three  small  salt  her 
rings  or  about  the  same  weight  of  salted  cod  fish,  or 
balif  a  pound  of  beef,  one  and  half  pounds  of  black  bread, 
a  little  salt,  &c.  The  second  d^y  they  are  paroled  and 
sent  to  Ashburton,  twenty  four  miles  from  Plymouth  ; 
they  must  pay  their  own  expences  to  get  there.  White 
they  are  there,  they  arc  allowed  1*.  3d.  per  diem,  or  8.9-. 
9d.  sterling  per  week.  Beef  is  I  Of/,  per  pound,  bread 
in  proportion,  and  every  other  necessary  equally  dear, 
The  mates,  who  have  nothing  but  their  pay  to  live  up 
on,  join  together  8  or  10  in  a  mess,  hire  a  room  and  da 
their  own  cooking,  washing,  &c.  and  in  this  way  make 
out  to  keep  from  starving.  Masters,  supercargoes  and 
passengers  generally  have  other  resources,  through 
their  correspondents  in  England,  and  make  out  to  live, 
by  great  economy, <u  fromStt.  to  35s. sterling  per. week; 


THE  ENEMY.  17 

the  second  mates  and  other  officers  are  sent  on  board 
the  different  prison  ships.  On  board  some  of  them 
they  are  treated  by  the  commanding  officer  as  well  as 
the  situation  will  admit  ;  on  board  of  some  'others  they 
are  very  badly  treated  This,  it  will  naturally  occur  to 
you,  sir,  is  owing  to  the  different  commanders.  Their 
allowance  is  10  Jib.  brown  bread,  2  |lb.  beef,  2lb.  bad 
fish,  2lb.  potatoes,  and  10  ounces  barley  per  week  for 
each  man,  and  five  ounces  of  salt  per  week  for  ten  men. . 
The  prison  ships  are  kept  very  filthy,  and  the  prisoners 
are  confined  below  at  4  P,  M.  and  are  kept  in  that  sku- 
ation  until  7  or  8  A.  M.  At  Portsmouth  particularly, 
they  are  very  sickly,  and  we  are  informed  die  very  fast, 
some  days  from  S  to  10  ;  in  fact  they  are^vcry  sickly  on 
board  all  of  them  ;  several  of  this  description  came 
home  with  us  in  the  Robinson  Potter  cartel,  and  had, 
ivhen  they  came  on  board,  tho  appearance  of  having 
made  their  escape  from  a  church  yard.  It  is  not,  per 
haps,  amiss  that  we  should  state  what  we  firmly  be 
lieve  ;  that  is,  it  is  the  policy  of  the  British  govern 
ment  to  select  the  sickly  to  be  first  sent  in  cartels,  and 
keep  the  hale  and  hardy  seamen  until  they  become  sick 
ly,  thus  rendering  the  whole  of  those  gallant  sons  of 
Neptune  who  escape  death,  when  they  return  to  their 
homes,  at  least  for  some  time,  perfectly  useless  to 
themselves  and  quite  so  to  their  country,  from  their  de 
bilitated  state  ;  and,  in  fact,  the  probability  is,  thatmany 
of  them  will  carry  to  their  graves  the  indelible  stamp 
upon  their  constitutions  of  the  treatment  which  they 
received  on  board  British  prison  ships  ;  for  that  nation 
seems  to  have  lost  its  boasted  humanity,  and  if  we  did 
not  find  the  word  in  their  vocabulary  we  should  suppose 
it  had  never  found  a  place  there.  Many  of  the  seamen, 
prisoners  on  board  those  prison  ships,  are  impressed 
Americans  who  have  given  themselves  up,  refusing  to 
fight  against  their  eountry.  Four  hundred  on  board 
the  fleet  in  the  Mediterranean,  a  short  time  before  we 
left  England,  surrendered  themselves  and  were  sent  ta 
Gibraltar  and  England  ;  several  of  them  were  most  se 
verely  flogged  for  refusing  to  do  their  duty,  were  put 
in  irons,  and  most  of  them  to  their  immortal  credit; 
2, 


13  BAHB AIUTIES  O* 

submitted  to  the  severest  punishment  in  preference  to 
assist  the  enemies  of  their  country.  Some  of  us,  whose 
signatures  are  annexed,  were  witnesses  to  the  cruel 
fact.  A  tablet  of  gold  is  not  rich  enough  to  inscribe 
the  names  of  such  men  upon,  and  when  a  country  can 
boast  of  such  seamen,  she  has  nothing  to  fear  from  the 
enemy  on  the  ocean  on  an  equal  footing.  Captain  Ju- 
clathan.  Uptm,  late  master  of  the  private  armed  brig 
Hunter,  of  Salem  of  14  guns,  because  he  threw  them 
orerboard  in  chase,  was  not  allowed  his  parole,  but 
kept  in  close  confinement  for  a  long  time  in  Mill  pri 
son,  and  lately  has  been  sent  on  board  a  prison  ship  at 
Chatham.  We  mention  these  facts  in  hopes  that  gov 
ernment  will  retaliate  exactly  in  the  same  way.  Capt. 
Samuel  Turner,  late  master  cf  the  Purse  schooner,  of 
New  York,  was  taken  on  his  passage  to  France  in  Oo- 
loberj  1811,  prior  to  the  war,  and  in  retaking  his  vessel, 
the  prize  master,  a  British  Midshipman,  was  killed  • — . 
he  arrived  safely  in  France,  and  on  his  return  to  Amer 
ica  was  again  taken, in  June,  18 12, and  sent  to  England, 
yhen  being  recognized,  he  was  immediately  arrested 
rnd  sent  on  board  the  St.  Salvador,  admiral  Calder's 
ilag  ship,  at  Plymouth,  where  he  remained  a  close  pri 
soner  until  about  January  01*  February  last,  when  he  was 
rent  on  board  the  prison  ship  at  Chatham,  where  we 
fsar  he  will  remain  until  death  relieves  Mm  ;  he  has 
been  very  ill  treated,  much  abused,  put  in  irons,  and  af 
terwards  threatened  to  be  hanged.  These  facts,  some 
cf  us  who  sign  this,  were  witness  to.  We  pray,  in  the 
r/ame  of  justice,  that  government  will  take  without  d&- 
Liy,  the  case  of  captian  Turner  into  their  serious  con 
sideration  ;  it  is  a  case  which  we  think  demands  it,  and 
the  only  way  to  prevent  that  nation  from  committing 
farther  outrages  so  degrading  to  human  nature.  We 
find  in  Roman  history,  that  an  injury  or  an  insult  offer 
ed  to  a  Roman  citizen  by  a  foreign  power  v;as  consider 
ed  as  an  insult  offered  to  the  whole  Roman  nation,  and 
Itope  this  will  also  be  the  American  creed,  because  we 
relieve  it  will  be  the  surest  way  of  putting  a  stop  to 
those  indignities  which  Americans  have  so  often  been 
obliged  to  suffer.  We  are,  however,  no  advocates  for 


ENEMY.  i* 

cruelty,  but'on  the  contrary,  for  lenity  ;  yet  we  will  still 
believe,  that  in  certain  cases  retalition  is  not  only  ne 
cessary  but  becomes  a  duty  to  prevent  further  cruel 
ties  on  the  part  of  an  enemy." 


)  November  27/A,  1812.. 
DEAH  BROTHER-—  I  embrace  this,  the  earliest  op 
portunity  cf  communicating  to  you,  that  on  the  9th  in-- 
stant,  fifteen  days  out,  \ve  fell  in  with  and  captured  the 
fine  copper  bottomed  ship  Venus,  vessel  and  cargo 
vrorth  at  leat  25,000  dollars.  On  the  12th  pursuing; 
cur  course  and  within  five  days  of  your  place,  \ve  were 
captured  by  his  majesty's  sloop  Moselle-  George  Mcu- 
Iray,  commander,  and  brought  into  this  place.  We 
remained  on  board  the  sloop  two  or  three  days,  and  on 
the  19th  were  transferred  from  thence  to  the  prison 
ship  where  \ve  are  now  imprisoned,  with  an  allowance 
of  6  oz.  of  bread,  3  gills  of  rice,  8  oz.  of  the  worst  of 
Leef,  including  bone,  -which  is  as  much  as  meat,  with' 
as  much  brackish  water  as  we  can  use  ;  guarded  day; 
and  night  by  10  or  15  savage  Africans,  who  are  total 
strangers  to  humanity,  and  confined  every  evening  at 
sun  down,  not  to  be  released  until  next  morning  at  sun 
rise  ;  abused  to  the  lowest  degree  by  the  guard,  and 
compelled  to  find  salt  for,  and  cook  our  own  victuals, 
with  green  mangoes.  None  of  us  are  ever  permitted, 
under  any  condition  whatever,  to  visit  the  shores,  with 
many  other  barbarous  acts,  which  are  too  numerous  to 
describe.  This  will  be  conveyed  by  the  cartel  sloop, 
captain  Cooper,  being  the  second  cartel  which  has  sail 
ed  since  our  arrival  here.  A  schooner  from  Baltimore 
vas  only  allowed  8  men,  and  Cooper  who  brought  64 
prisoners,  is  only  allowed  18  in  return,  while  we,  18  in 
number,  are  detained  in  this  miserable  place  ;  for  which 
•we  cannot  assign  any  reason,  except  to  punish  us  as  pri- 
vateersmen,  or  as  hostages  for  those  12  lately  detained 
in  Charleston;  this  last  is  the  general  belief,  and  as 
such,  I  deem  a  communication  of  tl>e  circumstances 
essential  to  commodore  Dent,  commander  of  the  south 
ern  station,  that  he  may  look  to  it  and  enquire  the  cause 
why  Americans  are  to  be  detained  here  two  or  three 
jnonths,  while  more  prisoners  have  been  received  here, 


2b  BARBARITIES  OF 

by  a  great  many,  than  what  have  been  sent  to  the  Unit 
ed  States*  Men  who  have  arrived  here  since  we  have 
been  sent  off ;  they  proceed  with  no  degree  of  regular 
ity  in  the  exchange  of  prisoners,  and  act  in  open  con 
tradiction  to  every  thing  right,  and  I  really  believe,  that 
except  you  make  known  the  circumstance  and  use  some 
favourable  exertions,  that  some  of  us  will  be  intention 
ally  detained  until  the  end  of  our  presentcontest  with  G. 
Britain.  As  I  wish  your  exertions  for  our  exchange,  I 
have  subjoined  a  list  of  those  who  are  thus  miserably 
treated,  that  we  may  be  demanded  in  a  proper  way.  The 
Rapid's  crew  have  been  imprisoned  here  near,  three 
months,  and  have  now  no  prospect  of  getting  away  while 
the  crews  of  two  other  privateers  have  been  released. 

Creiv  of  the  lovely  Lass. 
Lieut.  Autine  Lambert,         John  Gamache, 
Wm.  L.  Robeson,  John  Hynes, 

Wm.  Thomas,  Darius  Swain, 

John  Crandel,-  John  M'Kenzie,;. 

David  Ashton, 

Rapid's   Creiv* 

Captain  Lameson,  James  T.  Miller, 

Peter  La  Vella,  Francis  Martin, 

George  Alexander,  Gaugion  Bigulows. 

Other  Prisoners. 

Simon  West,  Mathew  Bridge. 

1  wrote  Mr.  Peck  and  requested  him  to  forward  me 
a  letter  of  introduction  to  some  one  here,  and' also  a  pro 
tection  shewing  that  I  am  an  American.  As  it  is  pos 
sible  that  he  may,not  get  my  letter,  you  will  notice  my 
request  and  pay  that  atttention  which -it  deserves.  I 
mentioned  in  my  letter  to  Mr.  Pe<:k,  that  any  funds 
which  I  received  here  would  be  returned  on  application, 
as  my  expenditures  will,  through  .an  economical  princi 
ple,  be  as  small  as  possible.  1  indulge  the  hope  that 
you  will  conform  to  my  wishes  in  this  particular,  and 
also  inform  Mr,  Kelly  of  our  imprisonment  here,  and 
request  his  influence  in  facilitating  our  exchange,  with 
any  other  service. 

We  have  no  chance  of  gaining  information  here.-— 
EYGTV. person  uses  every  exertion  to  keep  us  in  igno- 


THE  ENEMY.  2i 

rar.ce  ;  however,  we  are  enabled  to  say,  that  the  Eng 
lish  prisoners  have  generally  combined  in  speaking  of 
the  treatment  they  received  in  the  United  States. 
I  am  your  affectionate  brother, 

WM.  L.ROBESON. 
Cafit.  Thomas  J.  Robeson. 

N.  B.  The  Moselle,  Rhodian  and  Variable,  three 
men  of  war,  have  just  convoyed  5  or  6  vessels  over  the 
bar  bound  to  some  part  of  England,  it  is  supposed  they 
will  return  to  cruize  off  Charleston.  In  case  you  ad 
dress  or  send  any  thing  for  me  at  this  place,  you  will  di 
rect  to  the  care  of  Messrs.  Bain,  Danshe,  £c  Co.  mer 
chants  here. 1  am  yours,  ike.  W.  L.  R. 

Hartford,  May  9,  1813, 

SIR — Annexed  is  captain  Samuel  Chew's  deposition, 
taken  before  Judge  Edwards,  at  New  Haven.     We  ex 
pected  it  in  season  to  have  forwarded  it  by  Mr.  Dodd, 
but  received  it  last  evening  by  Mr.  Huntington,  the  li 
nked  States  Attorney  for  Connecticut  District,  and  now 

forward  it  to  you  per  mail. Yours  respectfully, 

LUTHER  SAVAGE,  &  Co, 
Hon.  James  Munroe. 
CONNECTICUT  DISTRICT,  ss. 

On  this  day,  the  7th  of  May,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord 
eighteen  hundred  anc(  thirteen,  personally  came  before 
me,  Pierpont  Edwards,  judge  of  the  district  court  eftbe 
United  States,  for  the  district  aforesaid,  Samuel  Chew, 
of  the  city  of  New  Haven,  in  the  said  district,  and  beina^ 
duly  sworn,  deposeth,  that  he  was  at  Bridgetown  in 
the  island  of  Barbadoes,  in  the  West  Indies,  in  the 
month  cf  February  now  last  past  ;  that  on  board  a  Brit 
ish  prison,  ship,  at  Barbadoes,  there  were  confined  a- 
bout  523  American  prisoners  of  tr.e  crews  of  private 
armed  vessels  of  the  United  States  and  merchantmen, 
capured  since  the  war.  At  the  time  the  deponent  was. 
at  Barbadoes  the  American  p  isoners  were  supplied 
with  bread  and  some  meat ;  as  to  vegetables,  the  de 
ponent  was  not  informed.  The  regulations  on  boa  id 
the  said  prison  ship  compelled  the  prisoners  to  go  be 
low  decks,  where  they  were  confined  at  evenirg  ar/.i. 


22  BARBARITIES  OF 

until  morning  ;  as  many  as  could,  were  suspended  i» 
hammocks, and  still  there  was  not  sufficient  room  below 
them  for  all  to  lie  down.  In  this  respect  the  situation 
of  the  prisoners  was  not  only  extremely  uncomfortable, 
but  hazardous,  and  more  especially,  should  there  be,  as 
was  apprehended,  a  scarcity  of  provisions,  during  the 
approaching  hot  months.  The  deponent  was  not  per 
mitted  to  go  on  board  said  prison  ship,  but  deiived  his 
information  from  masters  of  vessels,  prisoners  at  said 
Island,  who  were  allowed  occasionally  to  go  on  board 
said  prison  ship,  with  whom  the  deponent  is  personally 
acquainted,  and  in  whose  representations  ho  lias  the 
most  perfect  confidence,  and  entertains  no  doubt  of  the 
iacts  by  them  stated  ;  and  this  statement  is  given  at  the 
request  of  the  friends  of  some  of  the  prisoners  at  Bar- 
badoes,  particularly  of  the  crew  of  the  privateer  Block- 
kde,  at  Hartford.,  PIKRPONT  EDWARDS, 

District  Judge  of  Connecticut  district.. 
I,  PIERPOTT  EDWARDS,  judge  of  the  district,  court 
©f  the  United  States  for  the  Connecticut  district,  do 
hereby  certify  and  make  known  to  ail  whom  it  may  con 
cern,  that  captain  Samuel  Chew,  the  within  named  de 
ponent,  is  a  gentleman  tome  well  known,  having  known 
Lim  for  many  years  ;  he  is  the  son  of  captain  Samuel 
Chew,  late  of  the  city  of  New  Hav.eny  deceased,  and 
who  fell  by  a  cannon  ball  on  board  an  American  vessel, 
during  the  revolutionary  war  ;  that  the  said  deponent  is 
a  man  of  strict  integrity,  and  attached  to  the  constitution 
and  government  of  the  United  States,  and  the  most  per- 
iect  confidence  is  due  to  his  said  representations  so  as 
aidresaid  sworn  ic.  PIERPONT  EDWARDS, 

District  Judge  of  Connecticut  district. 

MILLVILLE  PRISON,. 

August  SO,  1812. 

SIR — "We,  the  subscribers,  for  ourselves  and  our 
countrymen  now  confined  as  prisoners  of  war  in  Mill- 
ville  prison,  Halifax,  Nova  Scotia,  beg  leave  to  represent  - 
to  the  American  government — That  most  of  us  have 
for  years  past,  made  commerce  our  sole  employment 
and  hope,  in  which,  for  seven  years  or  more,  we  have 


THE  ENEMY.  23 

often  been  wantonly  robbed  by  the  English  of  what  we 
had  acquired  by  industry  and  danger,  and  while  they 
stript  us  of  our  property,  they  often  treated  us  with  the 
greatest  indignity  and  even  barbarity. 

We  have  seen  and  known  that  they  have  often  violat 
ed  the  sacred  privilege  of  individual  liberty  and  the  law 
of  nations  :  We  are  conscious  of  the  long  forbearance 
of  our  government,  and  their  repeated  call*;  upon  the 
honour  and  justice  of  the  British  nation,  which,  instead 
of  redress,  added  other  injuries  ;  and  when  the  hope  of 
amicable  remuneration  had  failed,  and  for  retaliation, 
our  government  was  forced  to  the.  last  resort,  an  appeal 
to  arms,  we  felt  the  justness  of  our  cause  and  hoped  for 
the  blessings  of  heaven  for  success.  To  serve  our 
country  and  make  up  the  losses  which  we  had  sustain 
ed,  we,  under  commissions  from  the  President  of  the 
•U.  States,  entered  on  board  of  private  armed  vessels, 
and  have  unfortunately  been  captured  by  the  British. 
We  would  state,  that  in  many  instances  after  we  had 
struck  our  colours,  we  were  fired  upon  by  cannon  and 
muskets,  broad  bides  and  volleys,  and  some  of  our  men 
killed,  and  after  our  captors  had  come  on  board  some  of 
ns'have  been  struck  and  severely  wounded  with  cut 
lasses,  without  the  least  provocation  for  such  inhuman 
ity.  Our  American  protections  have  been  forced  from. 
\isand  destroyed,  and  some  native  American  citizens 
have  been  taken  out  of  cur  privateers  and  put  on  board 
British  ships,  end  there  obliged  to  serve.  Most  of  us 
have  been  robbed  of  every  thing,  even  of  necessary 
clothing.  When  we  were  going  from  the  ships  to  prison 
the  officers  would  not  permit  us  to  take  our  clothing: 
and  baggage  with  us,  but  pledged  themselves  that  they 
should  be  sent  to  prison  ;  but  disregarding  their  hon 
our,  we  have  lost  all.  Some  of  us  have  been  marched 
thirty,  and  some  sixty,  and  some  one  hundred  and  sixty 
miles  over  a  miserable  country*  forced  along  beyond 
;our  strength,  half  starved  and  some  in  irons.  Our  al 
lowance,  each  man  per  day,  one  and  a  half  pounds  of 
bread,  half  pound  poor  beef,  well  proportioned  with 
bone,  one  gill  of  peas,  one  third  oz.  of  salt.  We  are 
without  wearing  apparel  and  without  money)  or  any 


24  BARBARITIES  OF 

means  of  procuring  them.  A  cold  winter  4n  this 
wretched  country  fast  approaches,  and  in  our  destitute 
situation  we  must  endure  every  thing,  and  many  of  us 
must  pet  ish.  There  are  now  of  us  in  prison  upwards 
of  twelve  hundred.  Every  art  has  been  practised  by 
the  English  officers  to  excite  disaffection  in  our  men  to 
the  American  government,  and  to  induce  them  to  enter 
into  the  English  service.  Necessity  may  oblige  sonic 
to  desert  us  and  enter  into  British  servitude,  but  we 
trust  that  speedy  relief  from  our  government  will  save 
them  from  that  wretched  alternative  of  perishing  with 
want  or  joining  our  enemies.  For  ourselves  and  the 
rest  of  the  prisoners,  we  must  say,  wehave  no  fortune  to 
devote  to  the  service  of  our  country,  but  we  have  hearts 
which  jet  feel  warmly  the  general  impulse,  and  -which 
we  pledge,  if  opportunity  ever  again  presents,  to  devote 
in  the  interest  and  service  of  our  country.  We  are  suf 
ferers,  but  will  cheerfully  suffer  every  hardship  of  war 
rather  than  sue  for  dishonourable  peace. 

We  respectfully)  request  an  exchange  or  seme  pro 
vision  for  our  relief.     We  feel  the  fullest  confidence  in 
our  government,  and  that  we  need  only  to  apprize  them 
of  cur  situation  to  insure  thfir  assistance  and  protection. 
.Ycurs,  &.c. 

Joseph  Starr,  Boston, 
Frederick  Johnson,  New  York, 
Robert  M'Kearney,  New  York; 
Richard  Rhea,  New  Jersey, 
George  Batterman,  Boston, 
John  Hazeltcn.  Boston, 
William  Dyer,, Boston, 
Solomon  Norton,  Boston, 
James  Trask,  Boston, 
Alexander  B.  Latham,  New  London^ 
Darius  Denison,  New  York, 
Kastwick  Pi-ay,  Portsmouth, 
William  Texnoldf  Portsmouth, 
Fobes  Dal  a,  Portland, 
Charles  T  hemps  en,  jun.  Aew  York, 
Hon.  JAMES  MCSROE,  Secretary  of  State. 


THE  ENEMY,  25 

No,  II. 

•{DETENTION  OF  AMERICAN   PRISONERS  AS   BRIT. 

ISH  SUBJECTS. 

Office  of  Commissary  General  of  Prisoners, 
Washington,  June  10,  1813. 

SIR — I  have  the  honour  to  transmit  the  copy  of  a  letter 
from  captain  Stewart,  commanding  the  United  States  na 
val  forces  at  Norfolk,  dated  the  20th  of  May,  to  admiral 
Warren,  and  that  of  a  letter  from  rear  admiral  Cockburn, 
dated  2 1st  of  May,  in  reply,  relative  to  a  most  unjustifia 
ble  act  of  commodore  Beresford,  as  to  part  of  the  offi 
cers  and  crew  of  the  late  United  States  brig  Vixen  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Delaware.  Leaving  the  general  ques-.ion 
of  the  interference  of  commodore  Beresford  with  these 
prisoners  of  war,  returmng  on  parole,  and  the  exaction 
made  by  him  in  consequence  of  the  irregular  power  thus 
assumed,  on  the  ground  on  which  captain  Stewart  has 
very  properly  placed  it,  I  will  remark,  that  captain  Stew 
art  was  certainly  misapprehended  by  admiral  Cockburn, 
in  attributing  to  him  the  intention  of  conveying  a  threat, 
2x  to  the  final  detention  of  two  of  the  American  prisoners-; 
on  the  contrary,  the  expression  used  by  captain  Stewart 
communicates  in  very  plain  terras  the  decision  of  this 
government  then  already  made  ;  that  four  of  his  Britan- 
nick  majesty'*  subjects  should  be  immediately  selected  and 
held  in  durance,  subject  to  the  same  treatment  in  all  re 
spects,  &c. 

And  I  have  now  to  inform  you3  sir,  that  in  virtue  of  this 
decision,  and  by  an  order  from  this  office,  the  marshal  of 
Massachusetts  has  designated  and  placed  in  close  confine 
ment  William  Kitto,  carpenter,  and  Thomas  Beddingfield, 
boatswain  of  the  late  British  packet  Swallow  ;  and  John 
Squirrell  and  Jas.  Russell,  seamen  of  the  Dragon,  74, 
subjects  of  his  Bri.tannick  majesty,  to  be  held  responsi 
ble  for  the  salety  of  John  Stevens,  carpenter,  and  Thom 
as  King-,  seaman,  part  of  the  crew  of  the  U.  S.  brig  Vixen, 

I  flatter  myself,  sir,  that  this  subject  will  command  your 
early  attention,  raid  that  you  will  cause  the  officers 
and  seamen  o'f  the  Vixen  to  be  immediately  released  and 
returned  to  this  countiy,  according  to  their  destination 

when  taken  from  the  cartel. Very  respectfully,  &c. 

(Siiyaed)  J.  MASON, 

Col.  Thomas  X5arc'a7,  Sec,  fcc. 


$6  BARBARITIES  OF 

//.  M.  S.  Poic  tiers,  M&y  8,  1813. 

SIR — I  am  sorry  I  am  under  the  necessity  of  detaining 
J.  Stevens  and  T.  King,  late  of  the  Vixen,  in  conse 
quence  of  their  being  British  subjects.  I  am,  sir,  ice. 

J.P.BERESFORD. 
To  Lieut.  Drayttn. 

The  original  is  in  the  possession  of  the  commissary  gen 
eral  of  prisoners.  W.JONES. 

JVavy  Department,  May  17,  1813. 

SIR — You  are  hereby  authorised  and  instructed  to  ad« 
dress'a  letter  to  admiral  sir  John  Borlase  Warren,  represent 
ing  the  following  facts  and  determination,  viz. — That  a  part 
of  the  officers  and  crew  of  the  late  United  States  brig  Vixen 
were  returning  from  Jamaica  on  parole,  as  prisoners  of 
war,  and  entering  the  Delaware,  when  commodore  Beres- 
ford  caused  them  to  be  brought  on  board  the  Poictiers 
and  detained  until  a  part  of  the  crew  of  that  ship,  whom 
he  demanded  in  exchange,  were  sent  down  from  Phila 
delphia;  that  ultimately,  he  detained  John  Stevens,  car 
penter,  and  Thoma*  King, seaman, two  of  theaforesaidcrew 
of  the  Vixen,  on  the  plea  of  their  being  British  subjects, 
as  appears  by  a  letter  from  commodore  Beresford  to 
lieut,  Drayton,  late  1st  of  the-  brig  Vixen  ;  and  that  you 
are  commanded  explicitly  to  declare,  that  in  retaliation  fer 
the  violent  and  unjust  detention  of  the  said  John  Stephens 
and  Thomas  King,  the  government  of  the  United  States 
will  immediately  cause  four  British  subjects  to  be  select 
ed  and  held  in  duress,  subject  to  the  same  treatment  in  ali 
respects  that  the  said  John  Stephens  and  Thomas  King  may 
receive  during  their  detention. 

On  the  receipt  of  the  admiral's  answer,  you  will  com« 
municate  the  same  to  me  without  delay. 
I  am,  respectfully,  &c. 

W.  JONES, 
Charles  Stewart,  Esq. 

Commanding  naval  officer,  Norfolk,  (Va.) 

United  States'' frigate  Const  citation^ " 

Off  A  erf  oik,  May  20,1813. 
SIR— I  have  the  honour  to  represent  to  your  excellency 


THE  ENEMY. 

that  a  part  of  the  officers  and  crew  of  the  late  United 
States'  brig  Vixen,  returning  from  Jamaica  on  parole  as 
prisoners  of  war,  were,  on  entering  the  Delaware,  taken 
out  of  the  flag  of  truce  by  commodore  Beresiord,  com 
manding  on  that  statiun,  and  detained  until  a  part  of  the 
crew  of  the  Poictiers,  then  prisoners  at  Philadelphia,  were 
demanded  by  him  and  sent  down  in  exchange  ;  that  ulti 
mately  he  detained  on  board  the  Poictiers,  John  Stephens, 
carpenter,  and  Thomas  King,  seaman,  late  of  the  United 
States' brig  Vixen,  on  plea  of  their  being  subjecis  of  his 
Brit  an  nick  Majesty. 

This  violation  of  the  rights  of  prisoners  on  parole,  is  so 
contrary  to  the  usage  of  all  civilized  nations,  that  I  trust 
your  excellency  will  give  suck  instructions  upon  that  head 
as  will  prevent  a  similar  violation  in  future. 

I  have  it  in  command  frsm  my  government  to  state  to 
your  excellency,  that  in  retail  .tion  ibr  so.  violent  and  un 
just,  a  procedure  on  the  part  of  commodore  Beresford  in 
detaining  the  above  Mr.  John  Stephens  and  Thomas  King, 
that  four  subjects  oi  his  Britannick  majesty  will  be  imme 
diately  selected  and  held  in  durance,  subject  to  the  s>ame 
treatment  in  all  respects,  which  may  be  shown  towards  the 
aforesaid  two  persons  during  their  detention.  I  hope 
your  excellency  will  give  this  subject  your  earliest  atten 
tion  and  direct  the  release  ot  Mr.  Stephens  and  Thomas 
King,  who  have  been  so  improperly  detained  on  board 
the  Poictiers. 

I  have  the  honour  to  be,  See. 
(Signed)  CHARLES  STEWART. 

Commanding  djjiccr  of  the  United  States'  naval 
forces  at  Norfolk. 

To  bis  excellency  the  rig*u  honourable  sir  John  B.  War 
ren,  ad  mica]  of  the  inlue,  and  commander  in  chief  of 
his  Briuuniek  majesty's  naval  forces  on  the  American 
station. 

His  Britannick  majesty's  shiji  Mar  thorough) 

In  Lynha-ven  Bay,  2  l*£  May^  1813. 

SIR — In  the  absence  of  sir  John  B.  Warren,  I  have 
the  honour  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your  letter  under 
date  of  the  £0th  current,  conipiaining  oi  the  conduct  of 


28  BARBARITIES  OF 

commodore  Beresford,  towards  some  American    prisoners 
of  war  returning  to  Philadelphia  on  parole,  and   of  his'' 
having  detained  on  board  the  Poicders  Mr.  John  Stephen* 
and  Thomas  King. 

'No  re  pert  of  these  circumstances  have  yet  reached  sir 
John  B.  Warren  or  myself  from  commodore  Beresford,  but 
I  have  no  hesitation  in  assuring  you,  sir,  that  every  en 
quiry  would  have  been  made  into  them,  and'  every  satis 
faction  and  explanation  thereon,  which  the  rase  might  have 
required,  would  have  been  offered  to  your  government 
and  yourself  wilh  the  least  possible  delay,  had  it  not  been 
for  the  threat  with  whi«h  your  representation  on  this  sub 
ject  is  accompanied,  the  tenor  of  which  being  likely  to 
produce  an  entire  change  in  the  aspect  of  our  communi 
cations,  and  particularly  in  what  relates  to  the  individuals 
which  the  fate  of  war  has  placed  within  the  power  of 
our  respective  nations;  it  totally  precludes  the  possibility 
cf  my  now  entering  further  into  the  subject  than  to  assure 
you  your  letter  shall  be  transmitted  to  the  right  honoura 
ble  the  commander  in  chief  by  the  earliest  opportunity, 
rnd  whenever  his  answer  arrives  it  shall  be  forwarded  to* 
you  without  delay. 

1  have  the  honouf  to  be, 

£ir,  with  high  consideration, 

Your  most  obedient  humble  servant, 

G.  COCKBURN,  Rear  Admiral. 
Cgfitain  Steivart,  commanding  the  naval  forces 
of  the  United  States,  at  Norfolk. 

Sharif  Port  Royal,  (Jamaica) 

>         March  20,  1813. 

fjK — Captain  Moubray,  of  his^  majesty's  sloop  Moselle, 
has  just  sent  to  me  the  copy  of  a  letter  from  you  to  him» 
and  another  to  Mr.  Cook,  of  hia  majesty's  kte  sloop 
Rhodian,  dated  the  25th  ult.  respecting  six  men,*  men 
tioned  in  the  margin,  who  were  sent  here  from  the  Baha 
mas,  as  having  been  taken  in  the  American  privateer  Sa 
rah  Ann,  and  supposed  to  be  subjects  of  his  majesty  ;  but 

*  Edward  Dick,  Thomas  Rogers,  ^dam  Taylor,  John 
Gaul,  Mike  Pluck,  George  G.  Roberts* 


THE  ENEMY.  29 

as  no  proof  to  what  country  they  belong  has  been  adduced, 
it  has  never  been  my  intention  to  bring  them  to  trial) 
and  they  are  at  present  on  board  of  tfae  prison  ships  wait 
ing  an  exchange  of  prisoners. 

1  am,  sir,  your  most  obedient  humble  servant, 
(Signed)         CHARLES  STERLING,    Vice  Admiral. 
.Charles  /?.  Simpson,  Esq. 

Harlem,  June  1,  1813. 

SIR — I  beg  leave  to  refer  you  to  a  communication, 
which  took  place  some  time  in  the  autumn  or  winter  pro 
ceeding,  between  Mr.  Baker,  his  majesty's  late  agent  for 
prisoners  of  war,  and  Mr.  Monroe,  secretary  of  state,  re 
specting  six  of  the  crew  of  the  late  American  privateer 
Sarah  Ann,  Richard  Moor,  master,  captured  by  his  ma 
jesty's  sloop  Rhodian,  John  Geo.  Ross,  Esq.  commander, 
whose  names*  are  inserted  in  the  margin,  and  who  it  ap 
pears  were  sent  to  Jamaica,  to  which  station  the  Rhodian 
belonged,  on  suspicion  of  their  being  subjects  of  his  majes 
ty  :  And  I  further  request  your  attention  to  a  letter  from 
inaj.  gen.  Pinckney  to  the  secretary  at  war,  dotted  head 
quarters,  Charleston,  4th  of  November,.  I  SI 2,  from  which 
it  appears  that  twelve  of  his  majesty's  subjects,  then  pris 
oners  of  war  at  Charleston,  were  held  in  prison  to  an 
swer  in  their  persons  for  the  fate  of  the  six  men,  of  the  Sa 
rah  Ann  privateer,  sent  to  Jamaica. 

I  have  the  honour  to  enclose  you  the  copy  of  a  letter 
from  vice  admiral  Stirling,  commanding  his  majesty's 
ships  of  war  on  the  Jamaica  station,  to  Mr.  Simpson,  late 
sub-agent  for  prisoners  of  war  at  Charleston,  from  which 
you  will  perceive,  that  the  six  men  of  the  Sarah  Ann  are 
considered  by  the  admiral  as  American  prisoners  gener 
ally,  and  ai  e  now  on  board  a  prison  ship,  in  common  with 
other  American  prisoners. 

Having  given  you  this  information  with  respect  to  the 
six  men  of  the  Sarah  Ann  privateer  I  have  to  request  you 
will  take  the  necessary  measures  to  have  the  contingent 
responsibility  which  it  was  thought  proper  to  attach  to'  the 

*  Ed-ward  Dick,   Thomas   Rogers,  Adam  Taylor, 
Gaul,  M'ke  Pluck,  George  C,  Roberts.. 


30  BARBARITIES  OF 

persons  of  twelve  British  seam  en,  nowin  prison  in  Charles 
ton,  taken  off,  and  that  they  may  be  informed  thereof, 

I  understand  that  John  Gaul,  one  of  the  six  men,  was 
paroled  and  arrived  at  Georgetown,  South  Carolina,  in  the 
brig  Cyprus,  and  that  he  has  reported  himself  to  the  mar 
shal,  who  informed  Mr.  Simpson  "  that  he  had  sent  on  to 
the  department  of  state  his  parole." 
I  have  the  honour  to  be,  Sec. 
(Signed)  THOMAS  BARCLAY, 

Qen€rai  Mason. 

Office  qf  commissary  general  of firis9nerS) 
Washington,  June  9,  1343.. 

SIR— I  learn  with  pleasure  by  the  letter  you  did  me 
the  honour  to  address  me  on  the  1st  inst.  and  the  Letter  from 
admiral  Stirling  you  have  enclosed,  that  the  six  men  be 
longing  to  the  American  privateer  Sarah  Ann,  detained  in 
October  last,  and  sent  to  Jamaica  to  be  tried  as  British 
subjects,  have  been  restored  to  the  ordinary  state  of  pris 
oners  of  war  to  wait  an  exchange  ;  and  that  there  is  now 
no  intention  to  bring  them  to  trial. 

I  very  cheerfully  comply  with  your  request,  sir,  and 
have  this  day  directed  the  marshal  of  South  Carolina  ts 
restore  in  like  manner  to  the  ordinary  state  of  prisoners 
fcfwar,  the  12  British  seamen  confined  under  the  orders 
of  this  government  by  him,  and  to  inform  them,  that  the 
responsibility  attached  to  their  persons-  for  the  safety  of; 
the  men  of  the  Sarah  Ann  has  been  taken  off* 

Very  respectfully,  &c. 
(Signed)  J.  MASONv 

€W.  T/iomas  Barclay* 

Chillicothe,  June  8,  ISIS. 

SIR — I  feel  it  my  duty  to  lay  before  you  the  case  of 
William  M'Dowell  Scott,  late  of  Detroit,  an  unfortunate 
fellow-citizen,  who  has  been  seized  aad  apprehended  by 
the  British  commanding  officer  at  Detroit  and  sent  to 
Quebec,  where  he  is  now  confined  under  pretence  of  be 
ing  a  British  subject,  and  one  found  in  arms  in  behalf  of 
ihe  United  States  against  that  government. 

.Willwra  M'.Qov;e!L  ^eott,  is  a  native  of  Ireland, 


THE  ENEMY.1  ai 

emigrated  to  the  United  States  about  eighteen  years  since. 
He  resided  for  some  years  in  the  state  of  New  York,  aivd 
in  the  summer  of  1800,  he  came  to  Detroit,  established 
himself  as  a  physician,  and  has  ever  since  resided  there. 
He  has  been  naturalized  agreeably  to  the  laws  of  the 
United  States,  and  this  fact  is  well  known  to  the  British  gov 
ernment  ;  and  both  in  the  territory  of  Indiana,  before  that 
territory  was  divided,  and  subsequently  in  tke  territory, 
of  Michigan,  he  has  held  and  filled,  with  respect  and  fi 
delity,  some  of  the  first  offices  in  those  two  territories* 

Such,  for  example,  as  a  justice  of  the  peace  and  a  judge • 
of  the  common  pleas  in  the  Indiana  territory  ;  OIK!  sub 
sequently  marshal  of  the  territory  of  Michigan. 

In  all  these  offices,  sir,  and  in  every  other  situation  in 
which  doctor  Scott's  publick  and  political  character  has 
been  or  can  be  viewed,  he  has  uniformly  manifested  an 
undeviating  attachment  to  the  principles  of  our  constitu 
tion,  and  the  administration  of  this  government; 

His  support  in  the  present  cause,  during  the  time  that 
General  Hull  lay  at  Sandwich- and  Detroit,  was  not  out 
done  by  any  person  whatever.  In  fact,  it  was  his  unwea 
ried  exertions  that  have  provoked  and  spirited  up  the 
Briti&h  to  that  line  of  conduct  and  persecution  they  are 
now  pursuing  towards  him. 

Proctor,  who  sent  him  from  Detroit,  and  Sir  George 
Prevost,  who  received  him  at  Fort  George  and  forward!  d> 
him  to  Quebec,  threatened  to- treat  him  with  all  the  sever 
ities  authorised  by  the  laws  of  nations,  and  the  usages  of 
•war,  in  cases  of  an  actual  bona  fide  British  subject  found 
in  arms  against  that  government. 

I  do  not  for  myself  however  entertain  a  belief  that  they 
will  dare  to  put  their  threats  in  execution  to  their  full  ex 
tent — But,  sir,  without  the  interference  of-the  government 
they  will  detain  him  during  the  war,  and  they  will  make 
his  life  so  wretched  and  miserable,  that  death  would  be  a 
welcome  messenger. 

I  hope,  sir,  the  occasion  will  be  a  sufficient  apoi6gy  for 
obtruding  this  communication  upon  you,  I  am  amongst 
the  number  of  those  who  have  not  the  honour  of  a  per 
sonal  acquaintance  with  you.  But  general  Taylor  who 
lioojc  to  as  tfce  bearer  oi'  it,  is  a.  gentle  man:  to  whom-  I 


32  BARBARITIES  OF 

am  personally  known,  and  who  has  likewise  a  pretty  cor 
rect  knowledge  of  the  character  of  doctor  Scott. 
I  have  the  honour  to  be,  Sec. 

E.  BRUSH. 

The  Hon.  James  Monroe,  Esq. 

Extract  of  a  letter  from  John  Mitchell,  JKsg.  agent  for 
American  prisoners  of  war  at  Halifax  to  the  Secretary 
of  State ,  dated 

"May  28th,  1813. 

"  I  have  just  been  informed  by  the  agent  for  prisoners, 
that  Mr.  John  Light,  of  the  Julian  Smith,  a  privateer 
commanded  by  captain  Henry  Cooper,  will  be  detained 
here  in  consequence  of  his  having,  previous  to  the  war, 
taken  the  oath  of  allegiance  in  this  province,  (Nova  Sco 
tia)  and  commanded  a  vessel  out  of  this  place  (Halifax) 
Mr.  Light  was  lieutenant  of  the  privnteer  when  captured 
by  the  Nymph,  the  12th  May,  1813." 

Col.  W*  Scott  to  the  Secretary  of  War. 

Washington,  January  30,  1813. 

SIR— I  think  it  my  duty  to  lay  before  the  Depart 
ment,  that  »n  the  arrival  at  Quebec  of  the  American  pris 
oners  of  war  surrendered  at  Qucenstown,  they  were  mus 
tered  and  examined  Uy  British  officers  appointed  to  that 
ckity,  and  every  native  born  of  the  united  kingdom  of 
Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  sequestered  and  sent  on  board 
a  ship  of  war  then  in  that  harbour.  The  vessel  in  a  few 
days  thereafter  sailed  for  England  with  those  persons  OR 
board. 

Between  fifteen  and  twenty  persons  were  thus  taken 
from  us,  principally  natives  of  Ireland,  several  of  whoim 
were  known  by  their  platoon  officers  to  be  naturalized  cit 
izens  of  the  United  States,  and  others  to  have  been  long 
residents  within  the  same.  One  in  particular,  whose  name 
has  escaped  me5  besides  having  complied  with  all  the  con- 
did®ns  of  our  naturalization  laws  was  represented  by  his 
officers  to  have  left  a  wife  and  five  children,  all  of  them 
were  born  within  the  state  of  New  York. 

I  distinctly  understood,  as  well  from  the  officers  who 
came  on  board  the  prisoa  ship  for  tlie  uboye  purposes  as 


THE  ENEMT.  33 

from  others,  Avith  whom  I  remonstrated  on  this  subject,, 
that  it  was  the  determination  of  the  British  government,  as 
expressed  through  sir  George  Prevost,  to  punish  every 
man  whom  it  might  subject  to  its  power,  found  in  arms 
against  the  British  king,  contrary  to  his  native  allegiance* 

I  have  the  honour  to  be,  Sec. 
(Signed),  W.  SCOTT. 

Lieut,  col.  U.  S.  2d  artillery. 

Mr.  Beasly  to  the  Secretary  of  State. 

JLondon,  March  !•,  181S*. 

Sm — Annexed  you  have  a  copy  of  a  letter  from  Hen 
ry  Kelly,  in  behalf  of  himself  aad  twenty  two  persons. 
He  states  that  they  are  all  citizens  of  the  United  States, 
and  have  wives  and  families  there  ;  that  they  were  taken 
last  October  in  Upper  Canada,  and  that  they  were  sent  to 
this  country  because  they  were  born  within  the  British 
dominions. 

I  am,  respectfully,  Sec. 
(Signed)  R,  G.  BEASLEY. 

On  board  H,  M.  shifi  JVamur,  lying  at 

the  Wore,  February  6,   1813. 

SIR — This  is  to  inform  you  of  the  undernamed  23 
American  soldiers,  belonging  to  the  13th,  6th  and  1st  regi 
ments  of  the  United  states'  armies.  We  were  taken  on 
the  13th  of  October  in  Upper  Canada.  The  reason  of 
their  sending  us  23  here  is,  we  were  born  in  the  British 
dominions,  though  we  are  all  citizens  of  the  United  States, 
and  have  our  wives  and  children  there.  We  are  in  a  very 
miserable  situation  for  clothing,  having  drawn  no  winter 
clothes  before  we  were  taken.  We  therefore  hope  you 
will  send  us  some  relief  to  shelter  us  from  the  inclemency 
of  the  weather. 

bir,  I  remain  your  6bcdient  servant, 

(Signed)  HENRY  KELLY, 

Sir,  these  are  the  names  of  my  fellow  sufferers  : 
Henry  Blaney,  Matthew  Mooney, 

George  M 'Gammon,  Patrick  Karns,' 

John  Dolton,  John  Fitzgerald*; 


34  BARBARITIES  OF 

Michael  Condin,  ,    John  Wiley, 

John  Clark,  John  Donnely, 

Peter  Burr,  John  Curry, 

Andrew  Doyle,  Nathan  Shaley, 

John  M'Gowan,  «               Edward  M'Garigan,. 

James  Gill,  John  Dirmue, 

John  Fulsum,  Jokn  Williams, 

Patrick  M'Braharty,  George  Johnson, 
Mr.  R.  G.  JBeaaley. 

Extract  cfa  letter  from  Admiral  sir  John  Borlase  Warren 
f«  the  Secretary  of  State ,  dated 

BERMUDA,  March  8,  1813. 

"  I  must  refer  you  to  my  letter  of  the  30th  of  Septem 
ber,  18  12,  in  which  I  stated  the  circumstance  of  twelve 
men  belonging  to  the  Guarriere,  taken  out  of  a  cartel  by 
commodore  Rodgers,  and  illegally  detained,  upon  the  pre 
text  of  six  others,  who  were  supposed  to  be  British  sub 
jects,  having  been  sent  to  the  united  kingdom  for  examin- 
at.!?S  \  since  that  event,  five  of  these  people,  named  in  the 
enclosed  list,  have  been  received  at  Halifax  with  orders 
for  their  discharge.  1  therefore  request  you  will  commu 
nicate  these  particulars  to  the  President,  in  order  that  fur 
ther  directions  maybe  given  respecting  the  Guerriers's 
men,  so  long  confined  at  Boston,  and  to  obviate  the  ether 
inconveniencies  which  must  inevitably  arise  from  such 
practices*" 


The  Secretary  *f  State  to  Admiral  Warren. 

Extract,  dated,  April  16,  1813. 

"  It  appears  by  your  letter  (of  the  8th  of  March,  from 
Bermuda)  that  five  only  of  the  seamen  that  were  taken 
on  board  the  Nautilus  and  sent  to  England,  in  confinement 
have  been  returned.  No  account  is  given  of  the  sixth. — 
Orders  have  been  issued  for  the  release  of  ten  of  the  twelve 
men,  who,  on  a  principle  of  retaliation,  were  confined  by 
commodore  Rodgers  at  Boston.  You  will  be  sensible  that 
it  will  be  impossible,  on  that  principle,  to  discharge  the 
other  two  men  until  the  sixth  American  seaman  is  return 
ed,  or  such  an  explanation  given  of  the  cause  of  his  deten 
tion,  as,  according  to  the  circumstances  of  the  case,  regard- 


THE  ENEMY.  3$ 

ing  the  conduct  of  the  British  government  towards  Amer 
ican  seamen  under  similar  circumstances,  ought  to  be  sat 
isfactory." 

JSjctract  of  a  letter  from  Lieut.  F.  H.  Babbit^  to  master 
commandant  II  m.  M.  Crane  of  the  United  States  Navy 
(Imte  of  the  United  'States^  brig  Nautilus)  dated 

BOSTON,  (Mass.)  13th,  Sept.  1812. 
Enclosed  I  send  you  a  description  of  the  proportion  of 
our  little  crew,  who  have  been  so  debased  and  traitorous 
as  to  enter  the  service  of  our, enemy.  Also,  a  list*  of 
those  gallant  fellows,  whose  glory  it  would  have  been  to 
have  lost  their  lives  in  the  service  of  their  country,  and 
whose  misfortune  it  has  been  to  cross  the  <4tlantick  on  sus 
picion  of  their  being  British  subjects — four  of  them  native 
born  Americans,  and  two  naturalized.citizens.  On  their 
.parting  with  me,  and  removal  from  the  African  of  44  guns 
to  the  Thetis  frigate  (the  latter  with  a  convoy  from  Eng 
land,  then  in  43,  30,  N.  and  46,  30,  W.)  their  last  request 
and  desire  was,  that  I  would  particularly  acquaint  you  with 
their  situation,  with  tkeir  determination  never  to  prove 
trailers  to  that  country  whose  flag  they  were  proud  to  serve 
under,  and  whose  welfare  and  prospeiity  they  equally  hop 
ed  and  anticipated  to  realize. 

(Signed)  P.  H.  BABBIT. 

A  list  of  men  said  to  have  entered  on  hoard  his  B.  M.  frig 
ate  Shannon,  Commodore  Broke*  Their  description  as 
far  as  known. 

JES,SE  BATES,  seaman,  about  5  feet  9  inches  high, 
dark  hair  and  complexion,  dark  snapping  eyes,  has  an  im 
pediment  in  his  speech,  and  at  times  affects  lunacy  ;  has  a 
•wife  and  family  in  Boston,  Mass. 

SAMUEL  LANG,  marine,  born  in  Kentucky,  5  feefe  8  in 
ches  high,  or  thereabouts,  and  is  supposed  to  be  with  capt. 
Hall  of  U.  S.  marines,  New  York 

JOHN  YOUNG,  marine,  5  feet  5  inches  high,  large  mouth, 
enlisted  with  captain  Hall,  navy  yard,  New  York  ;  when 
addressed,  or  is  addressing  an  officer,  casts  down  his  eyes. 

*  Thin  list  is  not  received. 


,6  BARBARITIES  OF 

For  his  particular  description,  as  well  as  that  of  John  RoscJ 
marine,  about  5  fe«t  8  inches  high,  brown  hair,  full  face> 
thick  set,  and  a  scowl  in  his  countenance,  refer  to  captain, 
John  Hall. 

JOHN  O'NKAL,  seaman,  about  25  years  of  age,  5  feet  5 
inches  high,  dark  hair,  sharp  face,  dark  eyes,  thick  set, 
and  was  shipped  at  Norfolk,  Vir,  previous  to  your  taking 
command  of  the  Nautilus. 

WILLIAM  JONES,  orderly  seaman,  about  5  feet  8  inch 
es  high,  light  hair,  24  years  of  age,  full  face,  thick  set, 
down  cast  look,  and  is  a  very  alert  man  ;  entered  at  New 
York,  April  last. 

(Signed)  F.  H.  B. 

Sir  John  Borlase  Warren^  to  Mr.  Monroe. 

HALIFAX,  30th  Sept.   1812. 

SIR — Having  received  information  that  a  most  unau 
thorized  act  has  been  committed  by  commodore  Rogers,  in 
forcibly  seizing  twelve  British  seamen,  prisoners  of  war, 
late  belonging  to  the  Guerriere,  and  taking  them  out  of  the 
English  cartel  brig  Endeavour,  on  her  passage  down  the 
harbour  of  Boston,  after  they  had  been  regularly  embarked 
on  board  of  her  for  an  exchange  agreeable  to  the  arrange 
ments  settled  between  the  two  countries,  and  that  the  said 
British  seamen,  so  seized,  are  now  detained  on  board  the 
United  States'  frigate  President,  as  hostages  ;  I  feel  my 
self  called  upon  to  request,  sir,  your  most  serious  attention 
to  a  measure  so  fraught  with  mischief  and  inconvenience, 
destructive  of  the  good  faith  of  a  flag  of  truce  and  the  sa 
cred  protection  of  a  cartel.  I  should  be  extremely  sorry 
that  the  imprudent  act  of  an  officer  should  invohe  conse^- 
quences  so  particularly  severe  as  the  present  instance  must 
naturally  produce  if  repeated  :  and  although  it  is  very 
much  my  wish,  during  the  continuance  of  the  differences 
existing  between  the  two  countries,  to  adopt  every  meas 
ure  that  might  render  the  effect  of  war  less  rigorous,  yet, 
in  another  point  of  view,  the  conviction  of  the  duty  I  owe 
my  country  would,  in  the  event  of  such  grievances  as  I 
have  already  stated*  being  continued,  not  admit  of  any 
hesitation  in  retaliatory  decisions ;  but  as  I  am.  strongly 
persuaded  of  the  high  liberality  of  your  sentiments,  and 


THE  ENEMY.  37 

that  the  act  complained  of  has  originated  entirely  with  the 
officer  who  committed  it,  and  that  it  will  be  as  censurable 
in  your  consideration  as  it  deserves,  I  rely  upon  your  tak 
ing  such  steps  as  will  prevent  a  recurrence  of  conduct  so 
extremely  reprehensible  in  every  shape, 
I  have  the  honour  to  be,  8cc, 

(Signed)  JOHN  BORLASE  WARREN. 

Admiral  of  the  blue,  and  commander  in  chief)  £9*c. 
His  excellency  James  Monroe,  Esq. 
Secretary  of  State. 

Mr,  Monroe  to  Sir  John  Borlase  Warren. 

Department  of  State,  October  28,  1812. 
.  Sm-~I  have  had  the  honour  to  receive  your  letter  of  the 
30th  September,  complaining  that  commodore  Rodgers, 
commanding  a  squadron  of  the  United  States  navy  at  the 
port  of  Boston,  had  taken  twelve  British  seamen,  lately 
belonging  to  his  Britannick  Majesty's  ship  the  Guerriere, 
from  a  cartel  in  the  harbour  of  Boston,  and  that  he  detain 
ed  them  on  board  the  President,  a  frigate  of  the  United, 
States,  as  hostages. 

I  am  instructed  to  inform  you  that  enquiry  shall  be'made 
into  the  circumstances  attending  and  the  causes  which  pro 
duced  the  act  of  which  you  complain,  and  that  such  meas 
ures  will  be  taken  on  a  knowledge  of  them,  as  may  com 
port  with  the  rights  of  both  natiojis,  and  may  be  proper  in 
the  case  to  which  they  relate. 

I  beg  you,  sir,  to  be  assured  that  it  is  the  sincere  desire 
of  the  President  to  see  (and  to  promote,  so  far  as  depends 
on  the  United  States)that  the  war  which  exists  between 
our  countries  be  conducted  with  the  utmost  regard  to  hu 
manity. 

I  have  the  honour  to  be,  Sec, 
(Signed)  JAMES  MONROE. 

Sir  John  Borlase  Warren,  admiral  of  the  blue, 
commander  in  chief,  &c. 

Washington,  December  17,  1812. 

SIR — I  have  the  honour  to  annex  a  list  of  twelve  of  the 
crew  of  the  late  United  States'  sloop  of  war  Wasp,  detain- 
D 


58  BARBARITIES  OF 

ed  by  captain  John  Beresford,  of  the  British  ship  Pciclie'rSj 

trder  llic  pretence  ol' their  being  British  subjects. 
I  have  the  honour  to  be,  See. 

GEORGE  S.  ,WISE,/mr^r. 

The  Hon.  Paul  Hamilton,  Secretary  of  the  Aavy. 
List  referred  to  in  the  fire  ceding  note. 

John  MJ  Cloud,  boatswain,  has  been  in  the  service  since 
1804.  Married  in  Norfolk  in  1 804  or  5,  and  has  u  wife 
and  four  children  there. 

John  Stephens,  boatswain's  mate,  has  been  in  the  service 
five  or  six  years 

George  M.  D.  Read,  quarter  master  has  a  protection,  an.d 
has  sailed  out  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia  for  several 
years. 

"William  Mitchell,  seaman,  Jame  Gothright,  de.  John 
Wright,  do.  Thomas  Phillips,  do.  Peter  Barron,  do* 
John  Connor  ordinary  seaman,  John  Rose,  do.  George 
Brooks,  do.  Dennis  Lougherty,  marine,  the  .  greater 
number,  if  not  all,  had  protections  at  the  time  of  entering 
and  being  taken.  Two  others  were  detained — John 
"Wade  and  Thomas  Hutchins  ;  but  were  given  up,  the, 
fci  u.er  on  capt.  Jones'  assuring  capt.  Beresfoid  he  knew 
him.  to  Oe  a  native  citizen  ;  the  latter  on  a  like  assurance 
from  1).  Rogers. 

William  INjiichell  was  in  the  service  during  1805  and  £: 
in  the  Mediterranean. 

GEORGE  S.  WISE)  purser. 
Washington  C/n/,  December  17,  181.2. 


.Extract  of  a  letter  Jrom  Major   General  Finckney.,  to  the 
Secretary  at  War,  dated 

HEAD  QUARTERS, 
CiiARLESTo  j>,  November  4,   181 2. 

cc  Information  having  beeii  given  upon  oath  to  lieutenant 
Grar.clison,  who  at  present  commands  in  the  naval  depart* 
iv.ent  here,  that  six  American  seamen,  who  had  been  tak 
en  prisoners  on  board  cur  privateers,  had  been  sent  to  Ja- 
iKaica  to.be  tried  us  British  subjects  for  treason,  he  called 
upon  the  marshal  to  retain  double  that  number  of  British 
t  cam  en  as  hostages.  The  marshal  in  consequence  of  in- 
MiMfctk-ns  frpjTi  Lhc  depjrtment  of  stale,  asked  mv  advice 


THE  ENEMY.  39 

oti  the  subject,  and  I  have  given  nay  opinion  that  they  ought 
to  be  detained  until  the  pleasure  of  the  President  shall  be 
known.  The  testimony  of  captain  Moon  is  herewith.  I 
hope,  sir,  you  will  have  the  goodness  to  have  this  business 
pui  in  the  proper  train  to  have  the  President's  pleasure  on 
this  subject  communicated  to  the  marshal." 

Cofiij  of  a  letter  from  captain  Afvori)  of  th-e  firivateer   Sarah 

Ann. 
Nassau^  New  Providence,  October  11,  1812. 

Six  of  the  crew,  claimed  as  British  subjects,  were  this 
day  taken  out  of  jail  and  put  on  board  his  majesty's  brig  the 
bappho,  and  sailed  for  Jamaica,  where  it  is  said,  they  are 
to  be  tried  for  their  lives  ;  consequently  I  questioned  each, 
respectively  as  to  the  place  of  their  nativity,  and  title  to 
protection  by  the  American  government,  when  they  stated 
as  follows,  to  wit  : 

David  Dick,  seamen,  that  he  was  born  in  the  north  of 
Ireland,  but  has  resided  in  the  United  States  ever  since  the 
year  1793  ;  has  served  ten  years  in  the  United  States' 
wavy,  viz.  on  board  the  frigates  Chesapeake,  President1, 
Constitution,  John  Adams,  and  schooner  Enterprise,  and 
gun  boat  No,  *2.  David  Dick,  shoemaker,  in  Alexandria 
is  his  uncle.  Dick  is  about  five  feet  six  and  a  half  inches 
thigh,  dark  hair,  has  a  scar  on  his  left  elbow,  and  one  on 
each  wrist ;  he  entered  on  board  the  Sarah  Ann  in  Balti 
more. 

John  Gaul,  seaman,  says  he  was  born  in  Marble  hear', 
state  of  Massachusetts,  where  his  parents,  brothers  and  hi-  • 
ters  now  reside  ;  is  married  in  New  York,  and  his  wiie 
(Mafy  Gaul)  lives  in  Roosevelt  street,  No.  57  ;  has  a 
regular  discharge  from  the  navy  of  the  United  States 
by  captain  Hugh  G.  Campbell,  dated  at  St.  Mary's,  Geor 
gia,  14-th  August,  1812  ;  says,  he  has  served  on  board 
<he  United  Stales'  brig  Vixen,  gun  boats  No.  10  and  153, 
from  the  last  of  which  he  was  discharged.  Gaul  is  27 
years  of  age,  about  five  feet  seven  inches  high,  brown  hair, 
light  complexion  ;  he  entered  on  board  the  Sarah  Ann  in 
Baltimore. 

Michael  Pluck,  ordinary  seaman,  says  he  was  born  in 
Baltimore  ;  his  parents  are  dead,  but  he  is  known  by  \Vii- 


40  BARBARITIES  OF 

Ham  Doulan,  Thomas  Turner  and  M'Donald,  of  Balti 
more  ;  has  a  sister  in  some  part  of  Pennsylvania,  whose 
name  is  Ann  Welsh,  was  never  at  sea  before  ;  never  had 
a  protection,  Pluck  is  twenty-six  years  old,  five  feet  six  and 
a  half  inches  high,  and  has  a  scar  on  his  left  cheek  bone  ; 
entered  on  board  the  Sarah  Ann  at  Baltimore, 

Thomas  Rogers,  seaman,  says  he  was  born  in  Water- 
ford,  Ireland,  but  has  resided  many  years  in  the  United 
States,  and  has  been  duly  naturalized,  a  copy  of  which  natu 
ralization  is  filed  in  the  custom  house  at  Baltimore  ;  is 
known  by  Joseph  Carey  and  Tom  Rogers,  cork  cutter, 
both  of  Baltimore  ;  has  a  wife  and  three  children  in  Balti 
more  ;  has  lost  his  protection,  but  requests  Joseph  Carey 
to  do  all  he  can  to  effect  his  discharge  from  the  British,— - 
Rogers  entered  on  board  the  Sarah  Ann  in  Pahimore. 

•George  Roberts,  a  coloured  man  and  seaman.  This 
man  I  had  not  an  opportunity  of  questioning  ;  but  I  know 
him  to  be  a  native  born  citizen  of  the  United  States,  of 
which  fact  he  had  every  sufficient  document)  together  with 
free  papers.  Roberts  entered  on  board  the  Sarah  Ann  in 
Baltimore,  where  he  is  married. 

Sonty  Taylor,  boy,  says  he  was  born  in  Hackensack, 
New  Jersey/but  has  neither  friends,  relations,  nor  acquain 
tance  there  ;  says  Jane  Snovvdeu  of  Savannnah,  Geogia,  is 
his  mother  ;  never  had  a  protection.  Taylor  is  fifteen 
years  old,  has  brown  hair  and  light  complexion  ;  he  enter 
ed  on  board  the  >v  arah  Ann  in  Savannah. 

RICHARD  MOON. 
Late  commander  of  the  privateer  Sarah  Ann. 

Copy  of  a  letter  from  Admiral  Warren  to  Mr.  Mitchel,  a- 
gent  for  the  exchange  of  American  fir  issuers  of  war.  dat~ 
ed,  HALIFAX,  21st  October,  1812. 

tin — -I  hud  the  honour  to  receive  your  letter  and  its  en 
closures  relating  to  Thomas  Dunn,*  and  beg  leave  to  in 
form  you,  that  it  appears  the  said  man  is  married  in  Eng 
land,  has  been  eight  years  in  his  majesty's  service,  and 
received  a  pension  from  government  i  under  these  cir- 

*  NOTI— The  application  was  made  at  the  requeit  of  his  father 
John  Dunn,  of  Boicoa  who  transmitted  a  deposition  of  his  birth. 


'  THE  ENEMY.  41 

oumstances,  and  the  man  never  having  made  any  applica 
tion  for  his  discharge  from  prison,  he  continues  on  board 

the  Statira. 

I  have  the  honour  to  be,  Sec. 
(Signed)  JOHN  BORLASE  WARREN. 

Extract  of  a  letter  from  William  //.  Savage,  late  agent  for 
American  seamen  and  commerce  at  Jamaica^  to  the  Secre 
tary  of  State,  dated, 

WASHINGTON,  December  1,  1812. 
"  I  take  the  liberty  to  enclose  you  copies  of  a  corres 
pondence  which  took  place  between  vice  admiral  Stirling 
(commanding  on  the  Jamaica  station)  and  myself  since  the 
declaration  ot  war.  I  should  have  furnished  it  you  at  an 
earlier  period,  but  an  accident  prevented,  which  1  was  not 
aware  of,  until  my  arrival  at  this  city." 

Cofiy  of  my  letter  to  -vice  Admiral  Stirling,  commanding  on 
the  Jamaica  station  en  the  subject  of  American  seamen  af 
ter  the  declaration  of  war. 

Kingston,  (Jamaica)  §th  August,  IS  12. 
?in — Enclosed  is  a  copy  of  a  letter  received  by  me  yes 
terday  from  on  board  his  majesty's  ship   Srppho,  purport- 
-ing  to   have  been  written  by  four  American   seamen   on 
Aboard  that  ship,  with  a  view  to  solicit  my  aid  towards  ef 
fecting  their  discharge,  in  consequence  of  the  declaration 
,  of  war  by  the  government  ol  the  United   States   against 
Great  Britain. 

In  making  this  application  I  am  fully  aware  that  my  du 
ties  ceased  as  agent  for  the  commerce  and  seamen  of  the 
United  States,  on  the  knowledge  of  such  declaration  be 
ing  made  known  here  ;  but,  sir,  I  am  led  to  believe  that 
at  this  period  it  will  not  be  deemed  inadmissible  on  your 
part  to  receive,  nor  improper  on  mine  to  make  the  request, 
that  you  will  be  pleased  to  grant  an  order  for  the  discharge 
of  these  seamen,  feeling  conscious  (should  they  even  not 
be  protected  with  the  usual  documents  afforded  to  citizens 
of  the  United  States)  that  an  English  seaman  would  not 
declare  himself  otherwise  than  such  under  existing  cir 
cumstances. 


42  BARBARITIES  OF 

I  seize  the  present  opportunity  also  to  forward  to  you 
twentyone  document*,,  as  proof  of  the  citizenship  of  that 
number  of  seamen,  said  to  have  been  impressed  by  ships 
of  war  on  this  station  ;  the  greatest  number  of  which  have 
been  heretofore  unsuccessfully  claimed  by  me,  on  behalf 
of  the  United  States,  and  which  may  still  comprise  at  this 
time  some  part  of  the  crews  of  his  majesty's  ships  on  this 
station. 

I  beg  farther  to  state  to  you,  that  I  have  received  nu 
merous  applications  from  on  board  various  of  his  majesty's 
ships  on  this  station,  for  the  relief  of  seamen,  who  I  doubt 
not  are  entitled  to  the  protection  of  the  American  govern 
ment,  many  of  them  having  with  them  the  proofs  of  their 
citizenship,  as  I  am  led  to  believe  from  the  assertions  con 
tained  in  their  communications.  Applications  have  also 
been  made  for  the  relief  of  many  without  success:  the  latter 
amount  in  number  to  fortysix,  as  per  list  of  names  enclos 
ed,  several  of  whom  I  understand  have  been  shifted  (since 
their  impressment)  on  board  of  other  vessels  than  those 
they  were  at  first  taken  on  board  of.  All  of  which  I  beg 
to  offer  for  your  consideration,  feeling  as  I  do  anxious  to 
extend  my  last  efforts  in  behalf  of  those  seamen  who  are 
entitled  to  them,  and  at  the  Fame  time  being  impressed 
\vith  the  idea  that  it  would  be  foreign  to  you,  sir,  to  retain 
any  Americans  in  the  service  of  the  navy  of  Great  Britain 
contrary  to  their  disposition  during  the  present  conflict.  I 
therefore  take  the  liberty  of  adding  to  my  former  request,- 
that  you  will  be  pleased  to  grant  orders  that  such  seamen 
may  be  discharged  from  duty  on  board  his  majesty's  ships 
on  this  station. 

With  sentiments  of  the  highest  respect,  &c, 

(Signed)  __   WM.  H.  SAVAGE. 

Copy  of  Vice  Admiral  Stirling's    Secretary's  letter,  in  an 
swer  to    mine    to   the  Vice  Admiral,   of  the  6th  August, 

1812 

Admiral' 's  Penn,  Aug.  7,  1812. 

SIR I  am  desired  by  vice  admiral  Stirling  to  acknowl 
edge  the  receipt  of  your  letter  of  yesterday's  date,  and  to 
acquaint  you  that  directions  were  given  some  days  ago, 
that  all  the  men  in  the  squadron  under  his  command,  who 


THE  ENEMY,  43 

can  prove  themselves  to  be  American  born  subjects,  should 
be  sent  to  the  prison  ship  until  an  exchange  of  prisoners 
is  established  between  the  two  countries,  in  consequence 
of  the  late  declaration  of  war  by  the  United  States  against 
Great  Britain. 

I  return  herewith  the  papers  which  accompanied  your 
letter,  And  am  sir,  &c. 

CHARLES  STIRLING,  Jun. 

Secretary* 

Extract  of  a  letter  from  William  H.  Savage^  Esq.  late  agent 
for  American  seamen  and  commerce  at  Jamaica^  to  Charles 
Stirling,  Jun.  Esq.  dated 

Kingston,  September  16,  1812. 

"  In  answer  to  my  letter  of  the  6th  ult.  you  were  pleas 
ed  to  inform  me  that  directions  had  been  given   by  the 
vice  admiral,  some  d»ys  prior  to  the  date  of  my  letter,  for 
the  removal  of  all  native  Americans   (who  could  prove 
themselves  such)  from  on  board  his  majesty's  ships  to  that 
of  the  prison  ship ;  but  as  some  time  has  now  elapsed  since 
you  were  pleased  to  give  me  this  information,  and  learning 
that  some  instances  of  detention  at  present  exist  on  board  his 
majesty's  schooner  Decouverte,  I  am  led  to  embrace  the 
subject  again,  as  in  one  instance  I  shall  hope  to  satisfy 
vice  admiral  Stirling  of  the  man's  being  entitled  to  his  re 
moval  from  duty  on  board  his  majesty's  schooner  of  war. 
The  person  alleded  to  is  Elijah  Stirling,  an  American  sea 
man,  who  was  impressed  from  on  board  the  British  mer 
chant  ship  Brilliant,  at  the  bay  of  Honduras,  in  the  early 
part  of  the  year  1810,  by  his  majesty's  schooner  Flor  del 
Mar,  and  has  since  beer;  detained  on  board   of  various  of 
his  majesty's  ships  on  this  station,  although  provided  with 
a  regular  protection,  which  instrument  this  man  got  con 
veyed  to  me  about  the  20th  of  Sept.  following,  and  which 
was  by  me   forwarded  to  admiral  Rowley,  accompanied 
(us  usual  in  like  cases)  with  a  request  that  the  man  might 
be  discharged.     On  the  receipt  of  my  letter,  the  admiral 
answered  through  his  secretary,  that  the  nature  of  Stir 
ling's  impressment  was  such  that  he  could  not  comply 
with  my  request ;  but  which  answer  was  unaccompanied 


44  BARBARITIES  OF 

in  return  with  the  protection  in  question,  and  what  has  be 
come  of  it,  I  am  unable  to  say. 

'*  About  this  period  I  was  led  to  understand  from  ad 
miral  Rowley,  that  all  American  seamen  who  should  be 
impressed  ^from  on  board  any  British  merchant  vessel, 
would  be  retained  in  the  service  of  his  majesty,  but  that 
all  American  seamen  who  should  be  impressed  from  on 
board  of  American  vessels,  would  on  application,  accom 
panied  by  proofs,  be  discharged.  As  this  information  was 
received  about  the  period  of  my  application  for  the  dis 
charge  of  Stirling,  I  was  led  to  conclude  it  stampt  the  na 
ture  of  his  impressment,  and  what  confirmed  it  in  my  mind 
was  that  I  received  similar  assurances  to  various  applica 
tions  made  for  American  seamen  who  had  under  various 
circumstances,  shipped  on  board  of  British  ships,  and  were 
from  thence  impressed  on  board  of  his  majesty's  ships  of 
war,  all  of  which  I  hope  the  admiral  will  be  pleased  to 
take  into  consideration  ;  for  to  insist  on  the  service  of  this 
man,  I  think  will  be  a  dereliction  to  the  marked  manner  of 
his  amiable  endeavors  to  distinguish  and  relieve  Ameri 
can  seamen  from  duty  on  board  the  squadron  under  hi& 
command.  I  beg  to  enclose  a  note  from  Mr.  Meek  (the 
late  secretary)  relative  to  rny  application  for  this  man's 
discharge,  and  to  observe,  that  if  it  is  possible  the  pro 
tection  may  yet  be  found  among  the  papers  of  the  late  se 
cretary,  as  it  has  not  been  usual  to  return  me  the  protec 
tions  of  those  men  whose  applications  for  discharge  were 
not  complied  with. 

"  I  beg  furthermore  to  observe  that  there  appears  also 
to  be  on  board  his  majesty's  schooner  Decouverte,  two  oth 
er  American  seamen,  viz:  John  Englefieid  and  Richard 
Lauderkin  ;  the  former  of  whom  asserts,  that  he  served 
his  apprenticeship  to  the  trade  of  a  cooper  at  Boston,  but 
has  lest  his  protection  ;  the  latter  declares  himself  to  be  a 
native  of  Rhode  Island,  and  that  his  protection  has  been 
destroyed  by  Mr.  Oliver,  commander  of  his  majesty's 
schooner  Decouverte.  I  shall  not  now  animadvert  on  the 
impropriety  of  such  a  circumstance  ;  but  request,  should 
the  instance  here  cited  be  found  correct,  that  they  may 
meet  the  attention  of  the  vice  admiral." 


THE  ENEMY.  45 

JLxtract  of  a  letter  from  -vice  admiral  Stirling's  secretary, 

to    W.  H    Savage  JSsg.  in  answer   to  his    of  the    IQth 

Scjit.  1812. 

Admiral's  Pcnn>  19 th  Sept.  18  11. 

"I  have  just  received  your  letter  of  the  16th  instant, 
which  I  have  laid  before  vice  admiral  Stirling,  and  I  am 
directed  to  acquaint  you,  th?it  Elijah  Stirling  and  other 
persons  on  board  of  his  majesty's  schooner  Decouverte, 
said  to  be  American  seamen  have  not  when  called  upon, 
produced  proof  of  being  subjects  of  the  United  States, — 
They  do  not  fall  under  the  description  of  persons  which 
I  informed  you  i»  my  letter  of  the  7th  ult.  were  intended 
to  be  discharged  from  the  king's  service,  and  to  be  de 
tained  on  board  the  prison  ship  until  an  exchange  of  pris 
oners  takes  place  with  America. 

"  The  note  from  Mr.  Meek,  dated  the  21st  Sept.  1810, 
is  returned  herewith,  and  as  it  appears  thereby  that  ad 
miral  Rowley  thought  that  the  circumstances  under  which 
Elijah.  Stirling  was  impressed,  did  not  permit  him  to,  be: 
discharged,  vice  admiral  Stirling  does  not  feel  himself  jus 
tified  in  attending  to  the  man's  wishes  on  a  bare -assertion. 
The  protection  you  allude  to  is  not  to  be  found  among  ad 
miral  Rowley's  papers  left  at  this  office." 

No.  III. 

DETENTION  OF  MARINERS  AS  PRISONERS  OF 
WAR,  WHO  WERE  IN  ENGLAND  AT  THE  TIME 
THE  WAR  WAS  DECLARED. 

J.  W*  Croksr  to  Mr.  Beasley. 

Admiralty  Office^  $th  August  ^  1812. 
SIR— Having  communicated  to  my  lords  commissioners 
of  the  admiralty  your  letter  of  the  31st  ultimo,  transmit 
ting  a  list  of  men,  said  to  be  Americans,  who  have  been 
impressed  and  detained  onboard  his  majesty's  ships,  and 
requesting  their  discharge,  I  have  their  lordships'  com 
mands  to  acquaint  you,  that  under  present  circumstances3 
they  will  defer  the  consideration  of  this  request. 

I  am,  &c. 

(Signed)  J.  W.  CROKER. 

JR.  G.  Beqsley, 


45  BARBARITIES  OF 

Extract  of  a   letter  from  Mr.  Beasleij  to   the'  Secretary  $f 
State^dated 

London,  October  23,  1812. 

"  I  have  informed  you  that  I  had  addressed  lord  Castle- 
reagh  oivthe  subject  of  our  citizens  who  have  been  im 
pressed,  and  are  now  held  in  the  British  naval  service* 
I  demanded  their  release,  and  complained- of  the  treatment 
which  some  had  received  on  offering  to  give  themselves 
up  as  prisoners,  or  refusing  to  serve  when  they  heard  of 
the  war.  In  reply,  I  have  received  a  short  note  from 
Mr.  Cooke,  one  of  the  undersecretaries,  stating,  that  he 
was  instructed  to  require  of  me  the  names  of  the  men  who 
had  received  the  treatment  complained  of,  and  the  vessels 
in  which  they  were,  which  1  immediately  furnished,  and 
urged  a  reply  to  the  other  part  of  my  letter.  In  an  in 
terview  I  have  since  hat4  with  Mr.  Cooke,  I  took  occa 
sion  to  remind  hina  of  it,  when  he  intimated  that  the  gov 
ernment  did  not  intend  to  answer  me  on  that  point ;  adding 
that  England  was  fighting  the  battles  of  the  world  ;  we 
had  chosen  to  go  to  war  and  so  aid  the  great  enemy,  and 
that  England  had  as  much  right  to  recruit  her  army  and 
navy,  in  every  possible  manner,  as  France/' 

Mr.  Beazlcy  to  lord  Casttereagh. 

Wimjiole  Street)  October  I2tfi,  1852. 

MY  LORD — In  consequence  of  the  war  unhappily  ex 
isting  between  the  United  States  and  Great  Britain,  it  has 
become  my  duty  to  call  your  lordship's  attention  to  the 
situation  of  the  great  number  c-  American  seamen  who 
have  been  impressed,  and  are  now  held  in  the  ships  of  war 
of  his  Britannick  majesty.  In  addition  to  the  wrong  which 
is  done  to  the  United  Slates  by  this  detention  of  their  sea 
men,  I  regret  to  state,  that  some  of  these  unfortunate  per 
sons,  having  heard  of  the  war  and  offered  to  gi\e  them 
selves  up  as  prisoners,  have,  for  so  doing,  or  ibr  refusing 
to  do  service,  been  punished. 

To  put  an  end  to  a  proceeding  and  a  state  of  things  so 
revolting  to  humanity,  and  so  contrary  to  the  law  and  us 
age  of  civilized  nations,  I  persuade  myself  it  is  only  ne 
cessary  to  present  them  to  the  view  of  the  British  gov 
ernment  }  am}  I  therefore  trust  that  effectual  measures 


THE  ENEMY.  47 

vlll  be  immediately  taken  to  restore  these  injured  .itx.cn  to 
.liberty  and  to  their  country. 

I  have  the  honour  to  be,  &c. 
(Signed)  R.  G.  BEASLEY. 

/:.   Cooke.to  R.  G.  Beastey. 

Foreign  Office,  \9t/i  October,  1312. 

"  In  consequence  of  your  letter  to  lord  Castlereigh  of 
the  12th  inst,  I  am  directed  by  his  lordship  to  desire 
you  will  furnish  me  with  the  names  of  the  American  saii- 
Oi-s  who  have  been  so  punished,  and  of  the  ship  they  are 
on  board.5' 

AT/*.  Beasley  to  E»  Co'ske. 

H.imfiole  Street,  21st  October,  IS "12. 

'Sin — -Agreeably  to  the  request  contained  in  your  letter 
of  the  19th  mst.  I  now  transmit  to  you  a  list  of  impressed 
American  seamen  on  board  British  ships  of  war,  who, 
having  heard  of  the  war,  offered  to  give  themselves  up  as 
prisoners,  and  for  so  doing  or  for  refusing  to  do  service, 
have  been  punished. 

I   beg  you -to  remind  lord  Castlereagh  that  the  other 
:  part  of  my -letter  of  the  12th  instant,  requesting-  the  release 
of  the  American, seamen  detained  in  the  British  service  is 
still  unanswered. 

.I  am,  sir, -Sec. 

(Signed)  R.  G.  BEASLEY. 

ilhe  list  referred  to  in-them  preceding  letter,  states  t/ie  cases 

of  th  e  folio  wing  fi  eraons. 

John  Bullard,  on  board   the    Zenobia,   offered  himself 
ijn  prisoner,  refused,  and  was  put  in  irons  for  one  night. 

John  Davis,  on  board  the  Thistle,  gave  himself  up  as  a 
/prisoner  and  refused  further  service,  for  which  he  was 
Hogged. 

Ephraim  Covell,  on  board  La  Hoguc,  gave  himself  up 
-as  a  prisoner  and  refused  further  service,  in  consequence 
of  which  he  was  kept  seven  days  in  irons. 

John  Hosman,  en  board  La  Rogue,  gave  himself  up  as 
-a  prisoner  and  refused  further  service;  was  put  in  irons, 
*still  kept  therein,  and  was  threatened  by  the  connnunder 
further  ufrUj 


48  BARBARITIES  OF 

Russel  Brainard,  on  board  La  Hogue,  gave  himself  up 
as  a  prisoner,  was  put  in  irons  and  still  kept  therein. 

Thomas  W.  Marshal,  Peter  Lazette,  Edward  Whittle 
Banks  and  Levi  Younger,  on  board  the  Royal  William, 
gave  themselves  up  as  prisoners,  and  were  in  conseqence 
thereof  put  into  close  confinement  for  eight  days. 

October  12,  1812. 

Mr.  Beasley  requests  lord  Castlereagh  to  cause  the  ne 
cessary  passports  to  be  furnished  for  the  American  ship 
William  and  Eliza,  captain  Howland,  to  proceed  to  the 
United  States  with  American  citizens. 

October  31,  1812. 

Mr.  Cooke  acquaints  Mr.  Beasley  that  there  will  be  no 
objection  to  granting  a  licence  to  a  cartel  for  carrying  to 
the  United  States  such  American  citizens,  non combatants* 
as  may  wish  to  return  to  their  country.  He  requests  Mr* 
Beasley  to  inform  him  of  the  situation  of  the  American 
ship  William  and  Eliza. 

Mr.  Pe.asley  to  E.  Cooke. 

Wimfiole  Street,  October  23,  1812. 

SIR — 1  have  now  the  honour  to  repeat  to  you  what  I 
stated  in  conversation  this  morning,  that  the  persons  for 
whose  return  to  the  United  States  I  requested  the  neces 
sary  passports,  are  for  the  most  part  American  masters 
and  mariners  ;  that  some  of  them  in  consequence  of  the 
loss  of  their  vessels  abroad,  have  come  here  on  their  way 
to  America  ;  that  others  of  them  having  been  employed  in 
British  ships,  are  now  desirous  of  returning  home  ;  that 
others,  through  the  detention  or  condemnation  of  their  ves 
sels  under  British  orders  in  council,  and  others  through 
all  the  casualties  to  which  this  class  of  men,  is  always  ex 
posed,  are  left  without  the  means  of  conveyance.  None 
of  these  persons  have  been  in  any  way  engaged  in  hostili 
ties  against  Great  Britain.  They  are  almost  wholly  des 
titute,  and  for  some  time,  have  been  chiefly  supported  at 
the  expense  of  the  United  States.  There  are  also,  I  be 
lieve  some  American  merchants  and  supercargoes  who 


THE  ENEMY.1  43 

.'are  anxious  of  availing  themselves  of  the  same  opportunity 
-of  returning  to  their  country. 

You  are,  I  presume,  aware  that  the  American  govern 
ment  has  afforded  every  facility  to  the  departure  of  those 
British  subjects  in  the  United  States,  who  were  under 
similar  circumstances  with  the  persons  included  in  my  re 
quest. 

With  regard  to  the  ship  William  and  Eliza,  in  which 
these  persons  are  to  embark,   I  beg  to  observe,  that  I  am 
-well  assured  by  those  who  have  charge  of  her,  th&t  there 
Is  no  impediment  to  her  departure. 

I  am,  &c. 
(Signed)  R.  G.  BEASLET. 

E.  Cooke  to  R.  G.  Beasley. 

Foreign  Office,  October  28,  1812. 

SIR  —  -Having  laid  before  lord  Castlereagh  your  letter 
requesting  that  you  maybe  allowed  to  send  a  cartel  t* 
America  with  citizens  of  the  United  States  who  wish  to 
return  to  their  country,  I  am  directed  by  his  lordship  to 
express  his  consent  to  this  proposition,  and  am  to  desire 
you  will  confer  with  the  commissioners  for  prisoners  of 
war,  with  regard  to  the  account  you  are  to  give  for  such. 
parts  of  the  crew  as  shall  appear  to  be  combatants,  and  on 
-that  principle  must  be  exchanged. 

I  am,  &c. 
(Signed)  E.  COOKE, 

October  29,  1812. 

Mr.  Beasley  states  to  J.  W.  Croker  of  the  admiralty- 
Office,  that  lord  Castlereagh  had  referred  him  to  the  com 
missioners  for  prisoners  of  war  :  that  he  had  according 
ly  applied  to  them  and  learnt  that  the  instructions  which 
that  board  had  received  from  the  lords  of  the  admiralty 
\vere  not  sufficiently  explicit  to  enable  them  to  proceed 
in  the  matter.  Mr.  Beasley  requests  that  their  lordships 
\vould  be  pleased  to  give  such  further  directions  to  the 
transport  .board  as  .might  be  found  necessary. 


~30,  1812. 
John   Barrow,   of  the  admiralty  office,  informs    Mr. 


60  BARBARITIES  OF 

Beasley,  that  his  letter  of  the  .29.th  October  had  beenvla|d 
before  the  lords  commissioners  of  the  admiralty,  and  that 
the  business  had  been  referred  to  the  transport  board. 

October  29,  1812. 

Mr.  Beasley  informs  Alexander  M'Leay  of  the  trans 
port  office,  that  he  had  requested  the  lords  of  the  admi 
ralty  would  be  pleased  to.,  give  the  further  instructions 
necessary,  and  presuming  that  these  instructions  would  be 
immediately  given,  requests  Mr.  M'Leay  to  inform  him 
at  what  time  it  will  be  convenient  for  the  commissioners 
that  he  should  confer  with  them  on  the  subject. 


1812. 

Alexander  M'Leay  informs  Mr.  Beasley  that  he  is  di 
rected  to  desire  that  Mr.  B.  would  transmit  to  the  trans 
port  office  a  list  of  all  the  persons  whom  Mr.  Beasley  prp- 
posed  to  send  to  America,  stating  their  several  qualities, 
'and  when  and  how  they  respectively  came  .into  Great 
^  Britain. 

•November  3,1812. 

'Mr,  Beasley  transmits  to  Alexander  M'Leay,  of  the 
transport  office,  a  list  of  American  citizens  whom  it  is  pro- 
pcsed  to  send  to  the  United  States  in  the  ship  William 
and  Eliza,  stating  their  several  qualities,  and  when  and 
.how  they  respectively  came  into  Great  Britain.  This 
list  contains  one  hundred  and  ten  names.  To  thes.e 
are  added  a  list  of  six  persons,  being  other  passengers  in. 
the  same  vessel.  Mr.  Beasley  remarks  to  Mr,  M'Leay, 
"I  am  .well  informed  that  many  persons  of  the  descrip 
tion  and  under  the  circumstances  of  those  mentioned  in 
,  the  first  of  these  lists  (being  seamen)  who  were  awaiting 
the  result  of  my  late  application  to  lord  Castlereagh  for 
a  cartel  for  their  conveyance  to  America,  have  within  a 
few  days  past  been  seized  by  the  impress  officers'  and  taken 
on  board  the  tender  of  the  tower  ;  and  I  beg  to  know 
•what  are  the  intentions  of  the,  British  government  respect 
ing  them  ?" 


THE  ENEMr;  Si 

November  6,  1 8 1 2*' 

Alexander  M'Leay  informs  Mr. Beasley  that  he  kad 
re'teived  and  laid  before  the  commissioners  for  the  trans 
port  service  the  list  of  persons  proposed  to  be  sent  to  the 
United  States  in  the  William  and  Eliza  cartel,  and  adds, 
**In  "return  I  am  directed  to  reqviest  that  you  will  inform 
the  board  whether  you  will  engage  that  the  above  men 
tioned  persons  on  their  arrival  in  the  United  States  shall 
.be  exchanged  for  an  equivalent  number  of  British  sub 
jects,  who  may  have  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  Ameri 
cans.  I  am  at  the  same  time  to  acquaint  you,  that  the 
prisoners  above  alluded  to  must  sign  engagements  not  to  ' 
serve  against  this  country  or  it's  allies  until  regularly  ex*' 
changed." 

November  7,  1812.: 

Mr.  Beasley  writes  to  Alexander  M'Leay. 
"  I  have  to  inform  the  board  that  I  am  willing  to  en 
gage  that  the  American  citizens  whom  I  propose  to  send  • 
to  the  United  States  on  board  the  William  and  Eliza  car 
tel,  shall,  on  their  arrival  there,  be  exchanged  for  an 
equivalent  number  of  British  subjects  of  the  same  descrip 
tion,  who  muy  have  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  United 
States  under  similar  circumstances  ;  and  that  the  men 
themselves  shall  sign  engagements  for  the  performance  of 
any  conditions  similar  to  those  which  may  have  been  ex 
acted  of  such  British  subjects  in  the  United  States  ;  it  be 
ing  understood,  that  if  it  be  found  that  British  subjects,  un- 
tler  any  such  circumstances,  have  been  suffered  freely  to 
depart  from  the  United  States,  then  these  engagements,  so 
fur  as  regards  the  corresponding  classof  American  citizens, 
thall  be  void.  If,  however,  it  be  more  satisfactory  to  the 
board,  that  the  return  or  exchange  of  thtse  men  should  be 
regulated  by  the  principles  recognized  by  the  two  govern 
ments  in  the  cartel,  which  I  am  informed,  has  been  lately 
concluded  at  Washington,  I  am  ready  to  enter  into  an  en 
gagement  to  that  effect." 

November  13,  1812. 

Alexander  M'Leay  writes   to  Air.  lieafsley* 
li  I  am  directed  to  acquaint  you  that  the  prisoners  men- 


52  BARBARITIES  OF 

tipned  in.  the  list  transmitted  by  you  will  be  released,  up* 
on  your  entering  into  an  unconditional  engagement  thafc 
they  shall  be  exchanged  Tor  British  prisoners  now  in  A~ 
merica  or  who  may  be  hereafter  taken." 

JVwcmb'er  18,  1812. 

Mr*  Bcasley  writes  to  Alexander  M'JLeay. 
"  For  those  American  citizens  who  composed  the  crews* 
i>f  ships.  icikrn  in.  w-ar,  I  am  at  all  times  ready  to  enter  into- 
any  engagement  which  the  law  and  usage  pf  nations  re 
quire.  But  from  those  whom  your  laws  have  invited,  or 
•whom  misfortune  has  thrown  into  your  country  ;  whom, 
accident,  and  not  the  fortune  of  war  uas  placed  within  your 
power,  I  must  still  urge  my  request,  that  they  be  allowed; 
to  depart  the  kingdom  on  the  conditions  proposed  in  my 
letter  of  the  7th  inst."  But  "if  the  board  will  enter  into, 
i)Ti  unconditional  engagement,  that  all  British  subjects  who 
have  been  permitted  to  leave  the  United  States  since  the 
decluraticnof  war,  or  who  may  be  permitted  to  depart 
therefrom,  shall  be  exchanged  fcr  American  prisoners  o£ 
war,  I  will  in  like  manner  engage  for  those  American  citi 
zens  agreeably  to  your  letter."'  Mr.  Beasley  adds  —  "  This 
arrangement,  however,  I  would  make  with  great  reluc 
tance  ;  because  it  would  Rot  be  in  unison  with  that  spirit 
of  liberal  wai  fare  entertained  by  ths  government  of  the  W-» 
States,  and  because  it  would  bring  within  the  influence  of," 
the  war  those  who  might,  without  detriment  to  either  pa~t]^ 
be  excir.pt  frcm  its  operation.  " 


23,  1812. 

Mr.  Beasley  writes  to  Mr.  Hawiltvn,  of  the  Foreign  Offi.ce,., 
"  I  must  beg  leave  to  state,  that  that  part  of  my  note  of 
the  12th  ultimo,  addressed  to  lord  Castlereagh,  relative  to 
American  ci'izens  who  have  been  impressed  and  are  now 
held  in  his  majesty's  naval  service,  remains  unanswered.. 
To  the  reasons  already  urged  for  the  discharge  of  those 
ir.  en,  may  be  added  that  of  compelling  them  to  fight  against 
their  country  ;  and  I  need  scarcely  add,  that  as  they  were 
forcibly  detained  before  the  commencement  of  hostilities  it 
would  be  very  unjust  to  discharge  them  merely  to  make 
them  prisoners.  Of  the  uuiubei'  of  Ihesc  unfortunate  per- 


THE  ENEMY.  53 

sons,  many  must  be  in  vesseles  on  foreign  stations  at  a 
great  distance.  It  is  a  subject  of  much  publick  interest  in 
the  United  States,  and  one  which  involves  the  domestick 
comfort  and  happiness  of  many  families." 

A' ov ember  24,  1812. 
Alexander  M'Lcay  writes  to  Mr.  Bca&ley,  and  after  some 

preliminary  reasoning,  says  : 

"  The  commissioners  (of  the  transport  office)  are  in 
structed  (by  the  lords  commissioners  of  the  admiralty)  to 
continue  to  require  from  you  an  unconditional  receipt,  as 
prisoners  of  war,  foi1  all  persons  of  this  description,  previ 
ous  to  their  being  permitted  to  return  to  America." 

December  23,  1812. 

.Alexander  M'Leay  writes  to  Mr.  Eeasley. 
"  I  ha-  e  received  and  laid  before  the  commissioners  for 
the  transport  service,  See.  your  letter  of  the  15th  inat.  and 
in  return  am  directed  to  acquaint  you,  that  at  present  they 
are  only  authorised  to  deliver  up  to  you  the  Americans 
mentioned  in  the  list  transmitted  by  you  on  the  3d  of  No 
vember." 

December  24,  1812. 

Mr.  'Bcasley  writes  to  Alexander  M'Leay* 
•"'After  so  long  a  time  spent  in  discussing  the  principles 
and  conditions  of  an  exchange  of  prisoners  between*  the 
United  States  and  G.Britain,  I  perceive  with  some  sur 
prise  by  your  letter  of  yesterday,-  that  the  only  persons 
whom  the  board  are  authorized  to- deliver  up  to  me,  are 
those  mentioned  in  the  list  transmitted  to  you  on  the  3d 
November,  who,  though  so  long  known  to  the  board  as 
being  at  large  in  this  city>  have  never  been  detained  as 
prisoners;  and  who  have,  ever  since  their  arrival,  beea 
maintained  at  the  charge  of  the  United  States.  During 
this  interval,  those  persons  have  been  partially  dispersed  : 
some  have  been  taken  up  as  prisoners;  some  have  been 
impressed;  and  some- have  otherwise  disappeared.  Others, 
however,  under  similar  circumstances,  have  since  been 
udded,:  and  there  now  remain  about  one  hundred  persons. 
Of  these  men;  as  I  understand  the  tenor  of  our  corres- 


54  BARBARITIES  OF 

pondence,.  those  who  belonged  to  vessels  detained 
in  war,  are  to  be  suffered  to  proceed  to  the  United  States, 
on  my  entering  into  the  engagement  which  accompanied 
your  letter  of  the  14th  inst.  but  that  for  the  others  no  en 
gagement  is  required.  In  order  to  avoid  any  further  mis 
understanding,  I  beg  to  know  whether  this  recapitulation. 
is  correct." 

Alexander  M'Leay  to  R.  G.  Beadey. 

Transport.  Office,  26/A  Dec.  1812. 

SIR—  I  have  received  and  laid  before  the  commission 
ers  for  the  transport  service,  Sec.  your  letter  of  the  24th 
inst.  and  in  return,  I  am  directed  to  acquaint  you  that  it  is* 
the  intention  of  his  majesty's  government  that  such  of  the 
Americans  named  in  the  list  which  accompanied  your 
letter  of  the  3d  of  last  month,  as  belonged  to  vessels  detain- 
ed  or  taken,  and  as  are  consequently  prisoners  of  war,  shall 
be  suffered  to  proceed  to  the  United  States  upon  your  en 
tering  into  the  engagement  which  accompanied  m-y  letter 
of  the  14th  inst.  but  that  for  Americans  who  were  resident 
or  travelling  in  this  country,  or  resorting  hither  for  com 
mercial  purposes,  not  as,  mariners,  no  such  engagement 
will  be  required, 

I  am,  &c. 
(Signed)  ALEX.  MT.EAY.. 


,  1812.. 

Mr.  Be  <te!e  y  writes  to  Alexander  M'Leay. 
"  On  referring  to  that  list  (which  accompanied  my   let* 
ter  of  the  3d  ult.)  you  will  perceivs  another  class  of  per 
sons,  namely,  mariners  who  did  not  belong  to  vessels  de 
tained  or  taken  ;  and  as  your  omitting  to  notice  these  men 
in  your  letter,  might  leave  room  for  some  doubt  respecting 
them,  I  lose  no  time  in  requesting  to  be  informed  on  what 
terms  the  board  understand  that  they  are  to  be  suffered  to  , 
return  to  the  U.  States," 

December  29,  1812. 

Alexander  JM^Leay  writes  to  Mr.  Beasley^ 
«  By  a  reference  to  my  letter  of  the   16th  instant,  you 
•will  observe  that  mariners  are  expressly  excepted  from 
SJi*  description,  of  persons  »he  are  to  be  released 


THE  ENEMY,  55 

ffitionaHy,  and  consequently  it  is  necessary  you  should  give 
a  receipt  for  all  the  mariners  named  in  the  list  transmitted 
by  you." 

February  17,  1813, 
Mr.  Beasley  to  Alexander  M'Leay* 
"  In  reply  to  your  letter  o{  the  9th  inst.  communicating- 
the  result  of  enquiries  made  by  order  of  the  lords  com 
missioners  of  the  admiralty,  relative  to  the  alledged  ill  treat 
ment  of  certain  seamen  claiming  to  be  Americans,  in  the 
British  service,  in  consequence  of  their  having  requested* 
to  be  considered  as  prisoners  of  war,  as  represented  in  my 
letter  to  lord  Castlereagh  of  the.  12th  October,  I  have  to  ob 
serve  that  although  the  statement  of  those  persons  and  that 
contained  in  your  letter  differ  greatly  as  to  the  degree  of 
this  ill  treatment,  it  does  appear  that  some  severity  was 
exercised  towards  them  on  that  occasion1,  and  witheut  any- 
proper  investigation  of  their  claim  of  American  citizenship, , 
which,  if  established,  should  have  exempted  them,  not  only 
from  punishment  but  from  service.  As  it  maybe  inferred^ 
however,  from  your  letter,  that  if  proof  be  produced  to 
support  their  claim  their  request  will  yet  be  complied 
•with,  I  have  to  inform  you  that  evidence  to  that  effect 
was  long  since  transmitted  to  the  lords  of  the  admiralty  in 
behalf  of  several  of  these  persons."  [Here  follows  the 
names  of  persons  and  a  recitation  of  the  proof  of  citizen 
ship,  &c.l  Mr.  Beasley  proceeds,  "  I  cannot  avoid  ex 
pressing  my  disappointment  and  regret  that  no  notice  has 
been  taken  of  the  request  made  to  lord  Castlereagh  in  njy 
letter  of  the  12th .-of  October,  for  the  general  release  of  the 
American  seamen  detained  in  ihe  British  service.." 

Alexander  M'Leay  to  R.  G.  Beasley* 

Transport  Office,  26th  February^  1813. 
SIR — I  have  received  and  laid  before  the  commission 
ers  for  the  transport  service,  &c.  your  letter  of  the  17th 
of  this  month,  with  its  enclosure,  relative  to  the  alledged 
ill  treatment  of  certain  seamen  claiming  to  be  Americans, 
in  the  British  service,  in  consequence  of  their  having  re 
quested  to  be  considered  us  prisoners  of  war ;  and  the 
having  been  referred  to  tfee  right  honourable  the  lords 


5*  BARBARITIES  OF 

commissioners  of  the  admiralty,  I  am  directed  by  the 
board  to  transmit  to  you  the  enclosed  copy  of  a  letter 
\vhich  they  have  received  from  their  lordships'  secretary  m 
answer  thereto. 

I  am,  8cc. 
(Signed)  ALEX.  M'LEAY. 

John  Barrow  to  the  Transport  Board. 

Admiralty  Office^  25th  February^  1813. 

Gentlemen — having  laid  before  my  lords  commissioners 
of  the  admiralty  your  letter  of  the  18th  inst.  inclosing  the 
copy  of  a  letter,  together  with  the  documents  therein 
referred  to,  from  Mr.  Beasley,  the  American  agent  for 
prisoners  of  war  in  this  country,  on  the  subject  of  certain 
alledged  citizens  of  the  United  States  detained  in  his  ma 
jesty's  service,  I  have  it  in  command  to  signify  their  lord 
ships*  directions  to  you  to  acquaint  Mr.  Beasley,  that  nei 
ther  now  in  war,  nor  before,  during  peace,  is,  or  was,  the 
British  government  desirous  of  having  American  sea 
men  in  its  service,  and  that  their  lordships  will  now  dis 
charge,  as  prisoners  of  war,  as  they  formerly  did  as  nea- 
trals,  those  persons  who  can  adduce  any  sufficient  prodf 
ef  their  being  Americans. 

You  will  further  inform  Mr.  Beasley,  that  all  the  cases 
stated  by  him  have  received  or  are  under  accurate  exam 
ination,  ami  that  such  persons  who  may  appear  to  be 
Americans  will  be  immediately  sent  to  prison,  as  manjf 
have  been  already* 

I  am,  8cc. 
(Signed)  JOHN  BARROW, 

Alexander  M'L.eay  to  Mr.  Beasley. 

Transport  Office,  6(h  March,  1813. 

SIR — I  am  directed  by  the  commissioners  for  the  trans°- 
port  service,  Sec.  to  inform  you,  that  upon  the  receipt  of 
the  printed  letters  which  were  transmitted  by  you  to  this 
office,  for  the  purpose  of  being  forwarded  to  certain  sea 
men  on  board  of  his  majesty's  ships  of  war,  they  consid 
er  it  their  duty  to  submit  the  same  to  the  consideration  of 
the  right  honourable  the  lords  commissioners  of  the  admi 
ralty,  and  to  request  their  lordships'  directions  c»  the 


THE  ENEMY.  5? 

Jiect  ;  and  the  board  having;,  this  clay,  a  letter  from  their 
lordships'  secretary,  of  which  the  enclosed  is  a  copy,  I 
have  their  direction  to  acquaint  you  accordingly,  that  the 
letters  in  question  will  not  be  forwarded,  and  that  you 
cannoi  be  permitted  to  maintain  any  correpondence  with; 
the  seamen  on  board  of  his  majestys  fleet; 

I  am,  &c. 
(Signed)-  ALEX.  M'LEAY.. 

John  Barrow  to  t/ie  Transport  Board:. 

Admiralty  Office^  f>th  March,  1812. 

Gentlemen  —  In  reply  to  your  letter  of  the  16th  of  last 
month  enclosing  a  letter  addressed  by  Mr.  Beasley  to  a 
seaman  on  beard  his  majesty's  ship  Porcupirre,  and  re 
questing  to  be  informed  it.  letters  of  a  similar  description 
should  bi  forwarded  to  the  persons  to  whom  they  are  ad 
dressed,  I  am  commanded  by  my  lords  commissioners  of 
the  admiralty,  to  signify  their  direction  to  you  not  to  for 
ward  any  such  letters,  and  to  acquaint  Mr.  Beasley  that 
he  cannot  be  permitted  to  maintain  any  correspondence 
with  the  seamen  on  board  his  majesty's  fleet  ;  observing  to 
him,  at  the  same  time,  that  the  printed  letter  in  question 
contains  a  statement  unfounded  in  fact,  for  that  neither 
since  the  war,  with  America,  nor  before,  have  their  lord- 
shins  declined  to  release  A  nverrcan  seamen,  admited  or 
proved  to  be  such,  though  they  have  and  still  do  refuse  to 
release  persoa5^si>i'«i«g%  without  any  proof  or  document*. 
»rthut  character. 

I  am,  Sec. 
(Signed)  JNO.  BARROW. 


of  the  fir  ihted  circular  letter  addressed  to 
seamen  of  British  shifts  of  war*. 

£ondony  1813. 

In  answer  to  your  letter  of  the  I  have  to  inform- 

you.  that  the  lords  commissioners  of  the  admiralty  having, 
in  consequence  of  the  war  between  the  United  States  and 
Great  Britain,  declined  to  release  those  American  citizens-. 
who  have  b^en  impressed  and  are  held  in  the  British  seiv 
there  appears  to  bo  no  other  course  for  yen,  to  pur- 


S3  BARBARITIES  OF 

sue  than  to  give  yourself  up  as  a  prisoner  of  war  to'  tMe 
commander  of  the  ship  in  which  you  are  detained. 


Agent  of  the  United  States  for  jinsoncrs 
of  war 'in  Great  Britain. 


Extracts  of  a  letter  from  Mr.  Beasley  to  Alexander  M'Lcay?  * 

dated  \3tk  March,  1813. 

"  In  the  letter  of  their  lordships'  secretary  of  the  5th  in-  •' 
stant,  the  board  aa&  directed  to  observe  to  me,  that  the  • 
printed  letler  which  I-  addressed  to  certain  American  sea-- 
men  detained  in  the  British  navy,  "  contains  a  statement' 
unfounded  in  fact :  for  that  neither  since  the  war  with  A- 
merica,  nor  before,  have-  their  lordships  declined-  to  re 
lease  American  seamen  admitted  or  proved  to  be  such.'5 
It  is  not  necessary  to  my -present  purpose  to  enter  upon 
an  examination  of  their  lordships'  conduct  on  this  matter 
before  the  war  ;  although  my  own  official  observation,  in 
numerous  cases,  when  I  held  the  office  of  consul,  would 
authorize  me  to  dispute  even  that  part  of  their  secretary's 
assertion.  But  with  reference  to  their  lordships'  conduct 
since  the  war,  I -beg  to  remind  them  of  their  letter  of  the 
5th  August,  scon  after  the  commencement  of  the  war,  in 
answer  to  a  request  made  on  the  3 1st  July  'for  the  release 
of  certain  impressed  American  seamen,  in  which  their 
lordships,  going  beyond  the  mere  declining  to  release  the 
men,  stated,  "  that  under  the  present  -circumstances,  thc^? 
will  defer  ihe  consideration  of  the  request  for  their  re 
lease  i"  or,  in  other  words,  that  they  will  not  at  present, 
war  being  commenced,  even  think  on  the  subject  of  their 
release.  If  further  proof  be  necessary  of  their  lordships9 
having,  as- 1  stated  in  my  printed  letter,  deeih;ed4hfe  re-tease 
of  such  seamen  in  consequence  o£  the  war,  I. will  call  to  their, 
recollection  a  letter  written  by  their  secretary,  on  the  25th 
August^  in  answer  to  an  application  for  the  .release -of  Will 
iam  Wilson,.an  impressed  American  detained  on  board  the 
Cordelia,  in  which  they  state  that  this  man  being  an  alien 
enemy  must  continue  to  ser~^e  ergo  to  -firisom  Should 
ether  corroberation  be  wanted,  it  may  be  found  in  the  long 
and  marked  silence  of  the  British  government  to  my  nu 
merous  applications.,  again  and  again  repeated,  for  the  re* 


THE  ENEMV.  59 

lease  of  these  men  ;  se.eing  that  it  was, not  until  tire  25th 
of  February,  nearly  seven  months  after  their  lordships  had 
informed  me  of  their  having  deferred  the  consideration  ©f 
the  subject,  and,  nearly  five  months  after  my  .  formal  de 
mand  made  to  lord  Castlereagh,  that  they  directed  tht 
board  to  inform  me  of  their  intention  to  treat  them  as  pri 
soners  of  war-T-and  even  this  was  not  done  until  eight  days 
after  my  printed  letter  in  question  appears  to  have  been 
on  their  table.  Surely  it  was  in  utter  forgetfulness  of  all 
these  circumstances  that  their  lordships  cleclarded  my 
statement  unfounded  in  fact ;  for  it  appears  impossible  that 
they  can,  in  the  mind  of  any  person,  bear  a  different  inter 
pretation  from  that  which  I  have  given  them.  But  how  do 
tbese  facts  beaf  on  their  lordships' statement?  How,  I  as-k, 
does  their  determination,  that  Wilson,  proved  and  admitted 
to  be  an,  American,  must  continue  to  serve  or-go  to  firison^ 
support  the  assertion  that  their  lordships  have  not  declined 
to  release  American  seamen  admitted  or  firoved  to~be  such  ? 
But  perhaps  in  their  lordships'  view,  to  send  them  from 
service  and  detention  in  ships  of  war  to  confinement  in  pri 
sons,  is  to  release  them.  1  f  so,  it  is  unnecessary  to  pursue 
the  subject  further,  and  I  will  content  myself  with  having 
vindicated  the  correctness  of  my  own  statement." 

"I  come  now  to  the  consideration  of  their  lordships'  pur 
pose,  as  expressed. in  their  secretary's  letter  of  the  25th 
ultimo,  to  treat  as;prisoners  of  war  the  Ameiican  seamen 
who  have  been  impressed  and  are  held  in  the  British  service. 
Taking  into.. view  the  manner  in  which  these  unfortunate 
persons  came  into  the  power  of  the  British  government,  that 
tbeir  own  rights  and  inclinations,  the  rights  of  their  country, 
the  law  of  nations,  and  every  principle  of  justice  were  vio- 
;  luted  in  the  very  act  by  -which  each  of  these  men  was  brought 
within  its  power,  and  that  this  wrong  .accumulates  so  long 
as  any  of  them  remain  in  >its  power,  I  do  maintain  that 
they  are  on  every  ground  entitled  to,  and  the  British  gov 
ernment  is  bound,  to  grant  their  immediate  and  complete 
release.  It  acquired  th«m  only  as  the  spoils  of  unlawful 
violence  ;  how  then  can  it  retain  them  as  the  fruits  of  law 
ful  war  ?  Its  rjght  of  controui  over  them  can  only  arise- 
rfrom  the  lawfulness  of  their  detention  ;  but  that  which  was 
:  unlawfully  taken  Cannot  be  rightfully  held,  and  to  ac- 


£Q  "BARBARITIES  OF 

knowledge  the  pretension  to  such  controul  as  their  lordships* 
purpose  implies,  would  be  to  legitimatize  the  act  by  which 
they  came  into  their  power.  The  British  government  dis 
claims  all  right  and  all  intention  to  take  them,  and  this  dis 
avowal  is  an  acknowledgment  of  its  obligation  to  restore 
them  to  the  same  condition,  and  to  the  same  freedom  from 
which  they  were  taken.  Upon  what  ground  is  it,  then, 
that  they  are  to  be  treated  as  prisoners  of  war  ?  Not  ma 
ny  years  have  elapsed  since  ail  Europe  resounded  with  the 
complaints  of  Great  Britain  against  France  for  detaining 
as  prisoners  of  war  certain  British  subjects  who,  having 
entered  the  French  territories  in  time  of  peace,  were  found 
there  at  the  breaking  out  of  the  war.  But  if  that  were  re 
garded  in  -England  as  an  outrage,  what  will  be  thought  of 
tliis  detention,  as  prisoners  of  war,  of  American  seamen, 
•who,  having  been  wrongfully  taken  on  the  high  seas  and 
forcibly  carried  into  the  British  service  in  time  of  peace, 
are  found  therein  at  the  breaking  out  of  a  war  doing  her 
service  and  fighting  her  battles  ?  The  conduct  of  France 
was  attempted  to  be  justified  by  certain  acts  of  England, 
which  were  alleged  to  be  equally  contrary  to  the  law  of 
nations*  But  what  justification,  what  excuse,  can  be  set  up 
for  this  conduct  of  Great  Britain  towards  the  impressed 
American  seamen  ?  What  infraction  ol  the  law  of  nations, 
what  violence  or  injustice  exercised  towards  British  sub 
jects,  or  what  outrage  is  this  cruel  act  to  retaliate  ?  It 
cannot  be  the  free  and  spontaneous  permission  given  by 
the  United  States,  at  the  commencement  of  the  war,  for 
every  British  subject,  of  every  class  and  description,  found 
within  their  territories  or  in  their  power  to  return  to  his 
country,  that  this  imprisonment  of  American  seamen  is  to 
requite.  And  surely, this  cannot  be  the  indemnification. 
Which  Great  Britain  ofTersihese  unfortunate  men  for  the 
wrongs  which  she  has  inflicted  on  them,  or  the  reward 
which  she  bestows  for  the  service  she  has  received  at  their 
hands. 

"  To  the  unqualified  prohibition  of  all  correspondence 
between  myself  and  the  impressed  American  seamen  in  his 
Britannick  majesty's  ileet,  so  unreservedly  suted  in  the  let 
ter  of  their  lordships'  secretary  of  the  6th  instant,  I  must 
conform,  whatever  may  be  ray  sentiments  and  feelings  re- 


THE  ENEMY.  61 

peeling  it.  The  situation  in  which  these  unfortunate  men 
and  myself  stood  towards  each  other,  appeared  not  only 
to  invite,  but  to  authorize,  a  communication  between  us. 
On  their  part  the  object  of  this  correspondence  was  to 
obtain  information  and  counsel  as  to  the  proper  manner  of 
conducting  themselves  under  circumstances  the  most  dif 
ficult,  and  on  an  occasion  the  most  important  and  solemn, 
namely,  how  to  act  while  forcibly  held  to  service  in  ships 
of  war  belonging  to  a  state  engaged  in  actual  hostilities  u- 
gainst  their  country  ;  a  situation  which  their  owu  good 
sense  and  proper  feelings  taught  them  was  alike  incompat 
ible  with  their  rights  and  their  duties.  My  part  has  been, 
after  having  waited  five  months  in  vain  fora  communica 
tion  of  their  lordships'  intentions,  tb  recommend  them,  since 
there  appeared  no  means  of  obtaining  their  release,  to  give 
themselves  up  as  prisoners  of  war;  an  evil  comparative 
ly  light  to  that  which  they  suffer.  In  other  instances  their 
letters  have  related  the  rejection  of  their  offer  and  the 
threats  of  punishment,  and  all  contain  complaints  of  the 
unexampled  hardship  of  their  situation," 

Extract  of  a  letter  from  Robert  Montgomery,  consul  of 
the  United  States  at  Allcant,  dated  the  4/7*  of  Novem 
ber,  1812,  to  the  Secretary  of  Stale. 

**  Herewith  is  a  copy  of  a  letter  to  admiral  Halloweli 
with  his  reply.  The  man  in  question  has  declared  under 
oath  that  he  never  signed  any  article  or  agreement  what 
ever  to  -ei've  on  board  the  Indefatigable,  nor  any  other 
British  vessel,  and  he  has  ROW  left  her,  losing  what  wages 
was  due  him." 

Alicant,  23t/  October,  1812. 

SIR — Philipsj  a  mariner  and  citizen  of  the  United  Slates, 
as  appears  by  a  regular  protection  from  the  colletor  of 
New  York,  informs  me  that  some  time  since  he  engaged 
himself  on  board  the  transport  Indefatigable  for  six  months 
at  certain  wages  agreed  for;  that  he  has  now  been  eight 
months  in  said  vessel,  and  demands  his  discharge  and  wa 
ges,  but  the  master  having  refused*  both,  obliges  me  to 
request  you  will  inform  yourself  of  the  f«.ct  and  if,  as 
F  •" 


62  BARBARITIES  OF 

the  mariner  states,  order    him    to  be  paid  off   and  dis 
charged. 

Permit  me  to  assure  you,  See. 
(Signed)  ROBERT  MONTGOMERY 

Benjamin  Hallowell,  Esq.  Admiral,  royal  navy  of  Great 
Britain. 

Admiral  Halloivell,  to  Mr.  Montgomery. 

His  majesties  shift  Malta  in  Alicant  -Bay9 

2 6th  October^  1812. 

SIR — I  find  upon  enquiry  that  there  is  on  board  the  In 
defatigable  transport  the  man  mentioned  in  your  letter  of 
the  23d.  As  there  is  no  objection  to  a  foreigner  going  in 
th«  station  of  mariner  on  board  a  vessel  of  that  description, 
r.'id  as  he  has  signed  articles  of  agreement  to  serve  on 
I. '>aid  the  Indefatigable,  I  shall  not  molest  him  v/hile  he 
continues  in  her  ;  but  the  .moment  he  gets  his  discharge  I 
•  u\J  deem  it  my  duty  to  take  iiold  of  him,  and  put  him  in 
«.<.,!}  :ine  in  cut  as  a  prisoner  of  war,  • 
jfe  m  I  have  the  honour  to  be,  Sec. 

rsijrne H  BENJ.  HALLOWELL. 


No.  IV, 

CQ.MPULSailV  SERVICE,  OF  IMPRESSED  AMER 
ICAN  OX  BOARD  BRITISH  SHIPS  OF  WAR.  • 
I  Beekman  Vcr  Plunk HoiiYnan,  of  the  town  of  Pough- 
k^tpsie,  ti'j  certify,  that  I  am  a  lieutenant  in  theU.  States' 
li.vy  ;  that  I  w.;.->  a  lieutenant  ou  board  of  the  Con- 
samiion  frigate  hi  the  union  and  capture  of  the  Guerri. 
e:c  j  that  a'aor  i.ci  ..urrendcr  I  was  sent  on  board,  and  af- 
rcr  taking  oui  the  crew  iUx-d  and  bie\v  up  the  ship;  that 
c^at  impressed  American  seamen  were  among  the  crew 
Oi  the  Gui'rrittre  who  were  liberated  at  Boston.  I  was 
Ki!»o  on  board  ihe  C  cnstiiiuinn  in  the  action  and  capture 
:'  the  Java,  and  \v-\9  sent  on  board  that  vessel,  and  after 
,he  crew  were  vemoved,  set  her  on  fire  and  blew  her  up. 
.viuoiigsi  iho  crew  of  the  Java  thirteen  impressed  Ameri- 
•t;n  seamen  '.vcr*  ibund,  three  of  whom  had  entered  the 


THE  ENEMY.  63 

British  service  and  were  left,  the  other  ten  were  liberated 
as  A  mericans. 

B.  V.  HOFFMAN. 

Dated  Poughkeepsie,  April  16,  1813. 

DUTCHESS    COUXTY,SS. 

Richard  Thompson,  being  sworn,  saith  that  he  is  a  na 
tive  of  New  Paltz,  opposite  Poughkeepsie,  that  he  sailed 
from  Wilmington  about  the  28th  of  April,  1810,  on  board 
brig  Warren,  William  Killy,  captain,  for  Cork.  On  th« 
homeward  passage  in  September  following,  he  was  impress 
ed  and  taken  on  board  the  Peacock,  a  British  sloop  of  w:\", 
and  compelled  to  do  duty.  That  while  on  boa»-d  that  ves 
sel  he  made  many  unsuccessful  attempt*  to  write  10  his 
friends,  to  inform  them  of  his  filiation.  He  further  saiiii 
that  after  he  had  heard  of  the  war,  himself  and  two  (-her 
impress^ .i  Auieric«.n  se^nea  \viio  were  on  bo;-,  "d  the  Ptv- 
cock  weal  a  ft  to  the  captain  and  claimed  to  be  con  :ck:  <  d 
as  American  prisoners  of  war,  and  refused  ic  do  clvs-.y  aisv 
longer.  They  were  ordered  off  tiie  qiuriur  (ier*;,  -;u[' 
the  captain  called  for  t^c  master  at  arms,  und  ordered  us 
*f?'b'C  put  m'irsns  3  we  were  then  kept  in  irons  about  24 
hours,  when  we  were  taken  out,  brought  to  the  gar.g-wny, 
stripped  of  our  clothe ^tied  and  w/ii/ijied,  each  one  do~ ...-; 
a 'id  a  half  lav/ieS)  aadjiut  to  duty. 

He  furt'ier  saith  that  he  was  kept  on  board  the  Pc-i- 
cock,  and  did  duty  till  the  action  with  the  Hornet  :  «{i- .  r 
the  Hornet  iioisted  American  colours,  ho  and  the  olhei  ir::- 
pressed  Americans  again  weni  to  the  caiuaiu  of  ib.e  Pt..i- 
cock,  asked  to  be  sent  below,  said  it  \vas  an  Americun  shi.) 
and  that  they  did  not  wish  to  tight  against  their  countiv. 
The  captain  ordered  us  10  <.>ur  quarter.^;  *:..'.lif.i  midship" 
man  S lone  to  .do  his  duty  ;  and  i.  we  did  not  do  our  du 
ty,  to  blow  our  brains  out  ;  i(  uyc,  avo  i"  \vas  answered 
iionei  v/ho  then  held  a  pistol  *t  n;y  !;cud,  and  ordered 
es.  We  then  ccnvumeil  at  oar  pieces  and  wei€ 


64  BARBARITIES  OF 

compelled  to  fight  till  the  Peacock  struck  ;  and  we  were 
liberated  after  an  impressment  of  about  two  years  and 
eight  months.  his 

RICHARD  X  THOMPSON. 

mark 

Poughkeepsie,  April  17,  1813. 
Read  over  and  signed  in  presence  of 

JOSEPH   HARRIS. 
JOHN  S.  I  REAR. 

1>UTCKESS    COUNTY,  S3. 

James  Thompkinb,  being  sworn,  saith,  that  he  is  a  na 
tive  of  Ulster  county,  opposite  Poughkeepsie  ;  that  he  sail 
ed  out  of  New  York,  in  the  month  of  April,  1 8 12,  in  the  ship 
Minerva,  bound  to  Ireland  ;  that  on  her  homeward  bound 
passage,  in  July  after,  this  deponent,  with  three  oihci' 
American  seamen,  Samuel  Davis,  Win.  Young,  and  John 
Brown,  \v,  re  i m  pressed  an .d  taken  on  board  of  the  British 
hhin  Ac  icon,  David  Smith,  captain.  We  were  taken  on 
r^turjcr  evening  ,  on  Monday  morning  we  were  brought 
to  the  gangway,  and  informed  we  musi  £Ht£r  on  board  the 
ship  and  live  as  other  seamen,  or  we  should  live  on  o^trneaf 
and  water  and  receive  live  dozen  lashes.  This  deponent 
nays,  himself  and  the  other  three  impressed  with  him,  did 
refuse  to  enter,  and  each  of  them  were  then  whipped  five 
dozen  lashes.  On  Wednesday  following,  we  were  again 
all  brought  up  and  had  the  same  offer  made  to  us  to  enter 
which  we  refused,  and  we  were  again  whipped  four  doz 
en  lashes  each.  On  Saturday  after,  the  like  offer  was 
made  to  us,  and  on  our  refusal  we  were  again  whipped 
three  dozen  lashes  each.  On  Monday  following,  still  re 
fusing  to  enter,  we  were  again  whipped  two  dozen  each. — 
On  Wednesday  following  we  were  again  -whipped  on*>  doz 
en  each,  and  ordered  to  be  taken  below  ar.d  put  in  irons 
until  we  did  enter  ;  and  the  captain  said  he  Mould  punish 
;.?ti  dam?:cd  Yankee  rascals  until  they  did  enter.  We  v.  ere 
then  put  in  irons  ;  and  laid  in  irons  three  months.  Lin 
ing  the  time  of  our  impressment  tie  ship  had  an  txtir  <i 
und  captured  a  French  ship.  Before  this  action  we  were 
taken  out  of  irons  and  asked  to  fight,  but  we  refused  ;  and 
idler  the  action  we  were  again  ironed;  vJvcrc  we  re- 


THE  ENEMY.  65 

niained  until  the  ship  arrived  at  London.  After  arriving 
there  we  first  heard  of  the  war  with  America,  and  that  the 
Guerriere  way  taken.  This  deponent  took  his  shirt,  Sam 
uel  Davis  and  William  Young  took  their  handkerchiefs, 
made  stripes  and  stars  for  the  Amercan  colours,  and  hung 

it  over  a  gun,  and  gave  three  cheers  for  the  victory. 

The  next  morning  at  6  o'clock,  we  were  brought  up  and 
whipped  two  dozen  lashes  each,  for  huzzaing  for  the  Yan 
kee  flag.  Shortly  after  this  we  were  all  released  by  the 
assisstance  of  the  American  consul  and  captain  Hall,  who 
knew  us. 

This  deponent  further  saith,  that  all  had  protections,  and 
showed  them,  and  claimed  to  be  Americans  at  the  time 
they  were  impressed. 

JAMES  TOMPKINS. 

Sworn  before  me  this  17th  day  of  April,  1813,  at  which 
time  the  said  James  Tompkins  showed  me  his  wrists 
which  at  his  request  I  examined,  and  there  appeared  to  be 
marks  on  both  of  them,  occasioned,  as  I  suppose,  from  his 
having  been  in  irons. 

WM.  W.  BOGARDUS, 

Justice  of  the  Peace. 


VIOLATIONS    OT    FLAGS    OF     TRUCE. 

Montreal  Prison^  6th  May,  1813. 

SIR — I  am  an  unfortunate  American  who  was  taken  by 
the  Indians  on  my  way  to  Maiden,  with  a  flag  of  truce  from 
general  Harrison,  on  the  night  of  the  3 1st  January  and  af 
ter  a  variety  of  indignities,  too  tedious  to  mention,  I  was 
brought  here  and  put  into  the  dungeon  for  33  days,  and 
have  been  up  on  the  centre  floor  a  week.  I  wish  to  see 
you,  if  possible,  and  have  your  advice,  &c.  &c. 
In  haste,  your's,  &c. 

SAMUEL  M'KEEHAN. 
Surgeon's  mate  "2  d  regt.  +d  brig.  Ohio  Militia. 
£<ieutenant  Dudley. 


€6  BARBARITIES  Of 

Montreal  Prison,  9th  May>  1813. 

SIR— -Yesterday  sir  George's  aid  came  and  informed  me 
that  the  nature  of  my  confinement  had  been  contrary  to  his 
orders,  and  colonel  Lethbridge  was  required  to  restore  me 
my  liberty.  I  was  also  informed  that  you  and  myself, 
would  probably  in  a  few  days  be  sent  to  the  United  Stktes. 
Col.  Lethbridge  told  me  he  would  send  for  me  at  3  o'clock, 
and  take  my  parole.  In  less  than  one  hour,  major  Shack- 
leton  called  and  said,  the  governour,  after  mature  consid 
eration,  had  concluded  he  could  not  let  me  have  my  liberty 
until  he  should  hear  from  general  Proctor.. 

Two  or  three  days  after  my  imprisonment,  major  Shack- 
leton  told  me  that  general  Proctor  had  promised,  with  the 
»ext  despatches,  to  send  on  all  the  papers  relating  to  my 
case,  and  then  I  would  have  a  hearing. 

So  you  may  see  punishment  by  torture  is  not  yet  abol 
ished.  If  they  had  drove  a  dagger  through  my  heait  my 
punishment  would  have  been  much  less  and  their  compas 
sion  much  greater. 

TOUT'S,  See. 

SAMUEL  M'KEEHAN. 

Major  Shackleton  also  told  me  that  colonel  Baynes  was 
unauthorized  to  tell  me  what  he  did, 

S,  M'KEEHAN, 

Lieutenat  Dudley, 

Montreal  Gaol,  May  12,  1813. 

SIR— I  am  requested  by  Dr.  M'Keehan,to  inform  you  of 
his  present  unpleasant  situation.  He  is  at  this  time  so  un 
veil  as  to  be  confined  to  his  bed,  and  has  no  chance  of  get- 
ling  any  thing  to  make  him  comfortable.  No  person  at 
tends  here  to  examine  our  situation,  neither  have  we  a 
chance  to  send  out  alter  any  necessaries  that  we  want. 

I  am  confident  the  Doctor's  case  requires  some  very 
sp  cedy  aid,  particularly  as  it  respects  his  confined  situation, 

lodging,  fee. 

Your  s,  respectfully, 

GEORGE  H.  RODGER^       • 

United  States  Armu* 


Lieutenant  Dudley 


THE  ENEMY,  6? 


Dr.  HSlfeehan's  Aarratir?, 

On  the  31st  of  January  last,  I  was  ordered  by  general 
Harrison  to  proceed  to  the  river  Raisin,  with  a  flag  of  truce, 
and  fro-m  thence  to  Maiden,  if  not  stopped  by  the  Indians. 
We  arrived  at  the  foot  oi  the  Rapids  of  the  Miami  at  darkj 
and  not  finding  a  company  of  rangers  as  expected,  we  en 
camped  in  a  cave,  the  horse  and  cariole  before  the  door, 
and  the  flag  standing  by  them.  About  midnight  the  In 
dians  fired  in  npon  us,  killed  Mr.  Lament,  wounded  my 
self  in  the  foot,  and  made  us  prisoners.  After  despatch 
ing  Mr.  Lament  with  the  tomahawk,  scalping  and  strip 
ping  him,  they  seized  iny  horse,  harness,  great  coat,  blank 
ets  and  other  clothing,  and  one  hunderd  dollars  in  gold- 
•which  the  general  had  sent  to  procure  necessaries  for  the 
wounded  of  general  Winchester's  army. 

That  night  I  was  innde  to  walk  more  than  20  miles,  to 
where  captain  Elliot  was  stationed  with  a  party  of  Indians. 
The  captain  treated  me  politely,  and  sent  me  to  colonel 
Proctor.  I  was  scarcely  seated  before  the  colonel  began 
to  exclaim  agul.;s;  gen.  Harrison,  said  he  had  been  used 
to  fight  Indians  and  not  British  ;  found  fault  with  my  in 
structions,  and  said  tUe  flag  was  only  a  pretext  to  cover  a 
bad  design.  I  rebutted  his  insinuations  with  indignation* 
which  I  believe  has  been  the  cause  of  all  my  troubles 
since.  I  was  not  recognized  in  my  official  character  un 
til  the  5th  February  when  I  was  informed  by  Proctor's 
aid,  that  I  should  attend  on  the  wounded  with  Dr,  Bower, 
and  that  I  would  be  sent  to  the  United  States,  but  by  a  dif 
ferent  route  from  that  which  I  came.  Dr.  Bower  in  a,  few 
days  was  sent  home  and  I  detained. 

On  the  2d  of  March  I  was  arrested  by  order  of  colonel 
Proctor,  and  accused  of  carrying  on  a  private  correspon 
dence.  On  the  8th,  without  having  any  trial,  ordered  to 
Montreal,  and  hurried  on  from  Fort  George,  night  and 
day,  although  thinly  clothed,  and  the  weather  very  cold, 
from  Kingston  to  Prescott,  I  was  made  to  eat  with  the  of 
ficers'  servants.  This  course  of  torture  being  finished  on 
the  28th,  when  I  arrived  at  Montreal,  and  without  being 
asked  any  questions  or  suffered  to  ask  any  myself,  I  was 
put  into  the  .dungeon,  eight  or  ten  feet  below  the  surface 
*f  the  ground,  where  I  had  neither  bed  nor  bedding,  chair, 


68  BARBARITIES^  OF 

bench  or  stool ;  denied  pen,  ink  or  paper,  or  even  the  use 
of  a  book,  for  two  weeks  The  only  current  of  air  that  pass- 
ed  through  my  apartment  came  through  the  bowels  of  the 
privy  !  Here  I  was  kept  33  days,  when  I  was  to  my  great 
jay  put  up  with  the  American  prisoners,  and  with  them, 
permitted  to  remain  till  last  Monday,  when  I  was  liberated 
by  the  intercession  of  lieutenant  Dudley,  of  the  navy.-— 
Colonel  Baynes,  aid  to  the  governour,  told  me  the  outrage 
which  had  been  committed  on  my  person  was  contrary  to 
his  orders. 

I  left  fourteen  American  prisoners  in  jail,  viz.  GeorgQ 
H.  Rodgers,  United  States*  army  ;  Wm.  Hollenbeck, 
Onis  Hooker,  Philaster  Jones,  Harry  Jones,  Lewis  Minor, 
Zebina  Conkey,"  Pliny  Conkey,  Canton  ;  Seth  Barnes, 
Camden  :  Jared  Witheril,  John  Campbell,  Schoharie  ; 
major  Watson,  Ogclensburg  ;  Alexander  M'Gregor,  Bals- 
ton  ;  who  were  kept  in  close  confinement,  notwithstand 
ing  Colonel  Lethbridge  and  Major  Shackieton  had  pledged 
their  words  to  captain  Conkey  before  he  left  Montreal  for 
Quebeck,  that  they  should  have  the  liberty  of  the  town 
during  the  day.  But  the  captain  was  scarcely  gone,  when, 
the  pledge  was  either  forgotten  or  disregarded.  The  pris 
oners  now  are  not  permitted  to  procure  such  thing**  as  their 
small  stock  of  moHey  would  provide.  Sometimes  they  are 
half  a  day  without  water,  and  two  or  three  days  without 
wood;  and  if  they  complain,  they  are  cursed  and  abused 
by  the  jailor,  and  told  they  are  only  allowed  a  quart  of  wa 
ter  in  the  day.  I  am  requested  to  represent  their  situa 
tion  to  Gen.  Dearborn,  which  I  intend  to  do  as  soon  as  I 
arrive  at  Sacket's  Harbor. 

This  is  a  sketch  of  the  indignities  I  have  had  to  put  up 
with  since  the  last  of  January.  I  am  yours,  &c. 

SAMUEL  M'KEEHAN, 
Surgeon's  mate,  Id  regiment ',  Ohio  militia 

Albany,  May  24th,  1813, 

To  his  Excellency^  Major-General  Dearborn. 

SIE — Without  introduc aon  or  apology,  I   beg  leave  to 

state  to  your  excellency,  that  on  the  3 1st  of  January  last, 

I  \vas  ordered  by  general  Harrison  to  proceed  to  the   river 

Raisin  with  a  flag  of  truce.     I  was  required  in  my  in- 


THE  ENEMY.  69 

structions,  if  I  met  no  British  officer  at  that  place,  to  pro 
ceed  te  Maiden  (if  too  great  danger  did  not  appear  from 
the  savages.)  The  same  evening,  thirty-three  miles  from 
the  river  Raisin,  the  Indiaus  fired  upon  us  and  killed 
Mr.  Lament,  (one  of  my  attendants)  wounded  myself 
in  the  footf  then  conveyed  me  to  captain  Elliot,  who 
took  me  to  the  river  Raisin,  and  from  thence  sent  me 
to" general  Proctor,  at  head-quarters  in  Sandwich,  who 
swore,  by  God,  th:it  the  flag  and  papers  which  I  gave 
Him  was  only  a  pretence  to  cover  some  dishonourable  ser 
vice.  I  rebutted  his  insinuations  as  moderately  as  my 
indignant  feelings  would  permit.  General  Proctor  made 
several  observations  on  general  Harrison's  abilities  as  a 
commander  ;  said  he  was  used  to  fight  {Indians,  but  not 
British  troops,.  Sec.  He  kept  *my  instructions  ;  did  not 
even  inform  the  senior  officer,  ensign  Baker,  of  the  A- 
merican  prisoners,  that  he  had  a  letter  for  him.  I  was  or 
dered  to  a  tavern  under  the  care  of  a  French  sergeant.— 
I  waited  till  the  4th  of  February  before  I  wrote  to  general 
Proctor,  demanding  in  what  character  I  was  considered. ; 
how  long  I  should  be  detained,  and  the  causse  of  my  de- 

The  next  day  the  general's  aid  informed  me  I  wrs  re 
cognized  as  surgeon's  mate,  and  would  attend  wrjh  Dr. 
Bower  on  the  American  wounded  prisoners.  On  the  12th 
I  received  a  letter  from  general  Proctor,  in  answer  to  one 
I  had  written  to  him  the  day  before,  of  which  the  following 
is  a  copy  : 

Sandwich^  \2i/i  Feb.  1813, 

SIR — In  answer  to  your  letter  of  the  1 1th  instant,  i  am 
directed  by  colonel  Proctor,  commanding,  to  observe,  that 
you  were  sent  in  for  the  purpose  of  attending  en  the  sick 
and  wounded  of  general  Winchester's  army,  for  which 
purpose  you  are  now  detained  ;  and  beg  leave  farther  to 
observe,  that  in  the  execution  of  your  duty,  you  will  render 
a  most  important  service  to  your  country. 
1  have  the  honour  to  be,  &c» 

A.  W.  M'LEAIN,  A.  D  C. 

I  continued  to  attend  the  wounded  until  the  second  of 
March,  when  A.  D.  C.  M'Leain  informed  me  that  I  was 
accused  cf  carrying  on  a  private  correspondence,  and 


70  BARBARITIES  OF 

that  he  was  ordered  to  take  me  into  custody  and  secure 
my  papers  :  which  was  accordingly  done  in  the  most  un 
civil  manner.     On  the   8th  of  March  I   was  taken   by  a 
guard  to  Fort  George,  without  trial  or  hearing,  although 
I  had  writteen  to   general   Proctor  repeatedly  requesting 
an  investigation^  to   which  I  received  no  answer  of  any 
kind.    From  fort.George,  I  was  sent  to  Montreal  and  har 
ried  oiv  night  and   day,  although  thinly   clothed,    (having 
been  robbed  and  stripped  by  the  Indians)  and  the  weather 
very  cold.     On  my  arrival  at   Montreal,  I  was,  without 
being  asked  any  questions,  or  permitted  ;to  ask  i.ny   my 
self,  put  into  a  dungeon  eight  or  ten  feet  below  the   sur 
face  of  the  ground,  in  dark  and   solitary  confinement,  and 
there  kept  thirty-three  days,  after  which  time   I   was  put 
up  with  the  American  prisoners.      A  few   clays  afier  my 
elevation,  lieutenant  Dudley  became  acquainted   \\llh  my 
situation)   and  made   such  representations    to   govei'ECur 
Prevost,  as  induced  his  excellency  to  send  his  aki,   colonel 
Baynes,  who  said  he  was  directed  by  the   governour  to  in 
form  me  thut  the  outrage  which  had  been  commuted  on  my 
person  was  contrary  to  his  orders,  and  told  colonel  Leih- 
bridge  to  take  my  parole  and  liberate  me  immediately.  The 
colonel  not ;.  h**'*;^  ITilltcVLua Tor  writing  at  hand,  suid    he 
would  send  for  me  at  3  o'clock.     In  less  than  an  honr,  the 
town  major  came  and  informed  me,  that  the  governour  on 
more  mature  consideration,  thought  he  could  not  liberate 
me  until  he   got  dispatches   from  general   Proctor.     On 
the  17th  of  LViay,  eight  or  ten  days  after,  I  was    taken  from 
prison,  arid,  in  company  with   lieutenant  Dudley,   sent  to 
the  United  Slates.     I  may  here  observe,   that  the   apart 
ment  in  which  I  was  confined,  did  not  contain  either  chuir, 
bench  or  stool,  or  bedding  whatever,  for  the  space   of  two 
"weeks.     Fresh  beef  was  furnished,  but  no  suit— I  wusde- 
nied  pen,    ink    and    paper,   aad   treated  uniformly   with 
the  utmost  contempt  by  the  sergeant,  whom  I  had  the 
honour  of  seeing  every  day  for  a  few  minutes.     By  the 
request  o?  fourteen   American   prisoners,   now  in    Mon 
treal  jail,  whose  names  are  hereunto  annexed,  I  beg  leave 
to  state  to  your  excellency,  that  they  are  kept  in  close  con 
finement,   sometimes  half  a  day  without  water,  and  fre 
quently  Uvo  or  three  days  without  wood  to  cook   with  ; ; 


THE  ENEMY.  71 

and  when  they  complained  the  jailor's*  curses  were  freely 
lavished  upon  them.  They  have  not  the  privilege  of  pro* 
curing  some  little  necessaries,  which  the  benevolence  of 
some  humane  persons  enabled  them  to  do  by  giving  them 
a  little  money.*  Sir  George  Prevost  has  told  them  that 
their  confinement  is  owing  to  the  bad  faith  of  their  own 
government,  Sec. 

I  would  have  stated  to  your  excellency  the  knowledge 
I  had  through  the  report  of  others,  of  the  outrages  and 
cruelties  exercised  on  the  American  prisoners  taken  at 
general  Winchester's  defeat,  but  must  refer  your  excellen 
cy  to  Mr.  Ruland,  who  had  a  command  in  the  Michigan 
militia  last  summer,  and  who  was,  after  having  been  dis 
possessed  of  all  his  property,  sent  to  Fort  George  with  me, 
\vho  no  doubt  had  many  opportunities  of  hearing  such 
things  triumphantly  spoken  of  among  British  officers  and 
subjects.  I  have  the  honour  to  be,  &c. 

(Signed)  SAMUEL  M'KEEHAN. 

Surgeon's  mate  2d  regt.  O.  M» 
Niagara  Coffee  House,  June  4,  1813. 

List  of  persons  left  in  Montreal  jail. 
Geo.  II.  Rogers,  Major  Watson, 

U.  S.  Army,  Alexr.  M'Gregor 

Wm.  Ilollenback,  Lewis  Minor, 

Setti  Barnes,  John  Campbell, 

Gains  Hooker,  'Zebina  Conkey, 
Philaster  Jones,  Pliny  Conkey, 

Harry  Jones,  David  Johnston, 

Jurcu   vViiherall. 


*         No.  VI. 

RAN60JI    OF   AMERICAN    PRISONERS   FROM    IN 
DIANS    IN    THE    BRITISH    SERVICE. 

Extract  of  a.   letter  from  Mr.  Woodward,  to  the    Secretary 
of  State. 

Albany^  March  22,  1813. 
"  A  few  duyc previous  '.e  the  thirty  first  of  January   1813. 


72  BARBARITIES  OF 

I  transmitted  some  letters  addressed  to  the  friends  and 
families  of  a  few  of  the  prisoners  whom  we  had  been  able 
to  ransom  out  of  the  hands  of  the  savages. 

"  On  the  thirty-first  of  January  I  addressed  you  a  let 
ter  covering  similar  information  of  twelve,  other  fami 
lies." 


No.  VII. 

PILLAGE  AND  DESTRUCTION  OF  PRIVATE 
PROPERTY  ON  THE  CHESAPEAKE  BAY,  AND 
IN  THE  NEIGHBOURING  COUNTRY, 

William  Sears,  of  Talbot  county,  in  Maryland,  states, 
that  about  the  day  of  April  last,  whilst  the  British 

^uadron,  commanded,  as  he  understood,  by  Admiral 
Warren,  lay  about  Sharp's  Island,  in  the  Chesapeake  Bay  ; 
he  being  on  the  island,  called  Poplar  Island,  his  place 
of  residence,  observed  some  tenders  and  barges  coming 
oft  from  the  squadron  in  a  direction  towards  the  said 
island.  The  relator  was  then  in  the  act  of  removing  his 
furniture  and  other  property  from  the  island,  and  hasten 
ed  therein  from  seeing-  the  apparent  approach  of  the  ene 
my  ;  but  the  said  tenders  and  barges  whilst  this  relator 
was  crossing  to  the  main  with  his  scow%  and  butteaux  la 
den  with  his  property,  and  in  tow  of  his  two  schooners, 
appeared  suddenly  to  put  back  to  their  ships.  The  rela 
tor  afterwards,  in  the  afternoon  and  evening  of  the  same 
day  made  two  other  trips  to  the  island  and  succeeded  in 
getting  off  all  his  bacon.  On  the  succeeding  day,  as  this 
relator  thinks  it  was,  he  again  went  on  the  island  and  got 
off  forty  or  fifty  barrels  of  his  corn  and  so^ne  other  articles, 
without  any  interruption  from  j£e  enemy.  The  relator 
having,  in  his  first  trip,  got  off  his  family  and  slaves,  he 
now  watched  the  movements  of  the  enemey  from  his  farm 
on  the  main.  On  Sunday  morning  the  he  saw 

two  tenders  come  to  at  Poplar  Island  and  go  ashore  in 
barges,  and  after  some  length  of  time  he  saw  them  depart 
from  the  island.  The  relator  in  the  afcrnoon  of  the 
last  mentioned  day,  in  company  with  several  of  his 


THE  ENEMY.  T3 

neighbours,  went  to  see  what  tho  enemy  had  done  on  the 
Island,  and  found  that  they  had  injured  nothing*,  nor  taken 
any  thin g  -away  except  some  cyder  from  the  cellar.  The 
relator  then  took  off  with  him  as  many  of  his  hogs  and 
other  articles  as  he  could,  and  was  hurried  off  by  seeing 
the  enemy  put  off  from  the  squadron  with  several  barges 
in  tow  of  their  tenders.  The  enemy,  on  that  evening, 
took  possession  oi  the  island  and  remained  that  night  and 
a  part  of  the  next  day,  as  well  as"  their  relator  recollects  ; 
and,  on  the  last  mentioned  day,  left  this  island  and  followed 
the  squadron,  which  in  the  mean  time  had  moved  up  the 
bay.  The  relator  seeing  this,  on  the  next,  or  the  second 
day  after,  again  went  on  the  island,  and  there  found  that 
the  enemy  had  taken  and  killed  about  thirty  head  of  black 
cattle,  eig'ity-six  head  of  old  sheep  and  between  twenty  and 
thirty  lambs,  that  they  had  killed  three  hundred  breeding 
sows  in  their  beds,  whose  pigs  were  found  dead  ;  and  that 
Jhey  had  taken  off  almost  all  his  poultry,  all  he  supposed 
they  could  catch.  From  his  house  (where  he  had  left 
some  of  his  worst  furnituae)  they  took  off  an  old  looking- 
glass  worth  about  four  dollars,  and  some  newspapers  in  a 
file.  They  broke  several  locks  and  one  door,  and  threw 
many  things  about  the  house.  In  a  housj  on  the  island 
which  had  been  occupied  by  James  Sears,  they  broke  his 
desk  to  pieces  and  thre;v  about  his  furniture  and  other 
things  ;  but  the  relator  docs  not  now  recollect  that  any 
thing  was  taken  awav. 

In  testimony  whereof,  the  suid  William  Sears  has  here 
unto  set  his  hand  this  22  J  day  of  June,  1813. 

WILLIAM  SEARS. 

Maryland^ 


Talbot  county^    § 

Be  it  remembered,  that  on  this  22d  clay  of  June,  1813, 
William  Sears,  Esq.  ot  Talbot  county,  personally  appeared 
before  me,  the  subscriber,  onetof  the*  justices  of  the  peace 
of  the  state  of  Maryland,  in  and  for  Talbot  county,  duly 
commissioned  and  qualified,  and  made  oath  on  the  holy  e- 
vangelists,  that  the  statement  of  facts  herein  contained  is 
G 


74  BARBARITIES  OF 

substantially  true  to  the  best  of  his  knowledge,  recollection 
and  belief. 

Sworn  before  me, 

PETER  DENNY. 
State  cf  Maryland^  1 

Talbot  county,        ^fo-mt: 

I  hereby  certify,  that  Peter  Denny,  Esq.  before  whom 
the  above  affidavit  appears  to  have  been  made,  and  who 
has  thereto  su-bscribed  his  name  was  at  the  time  of  taking 
and  signing  the  sume,  and  still  is,  one  of  the  state  of  Ma 
ryland's  justices  of  the  peace,  in  and  for  the  county  afore 
said,  duly  commissioned  and  qualified. 

in  testimony  whereof,  I  have  thereto  set  my  hand  and 
affixed  the  seal  of  my.  office,  this  twenty-fourth  day 
of  June,  Anno  Domini,  1813. 
(L.S.)  JACOB  LOOCKERMAN, 

.  Clerk  of  Talbot  county  court  „ 

Ccecil  county^,  state  of  Maryland. 

Personally  appeared  before  me  the  subscriber,  one  of 
the  justices  of  the  peace  for  the  county  and  state  aforesaid, 
Frisby  Henderson,  and  made  oath  on  the  holy  evangelists 
of  Almighty  God,  that  on  the  29th  day  of  April,  1313,  a- 
bout  seven  o'clock,  A.M.  a  considerable  British  force^ 
distributed  into  thirteen, barges,  commenced  a  hostile  at" 
4ack  on  a  landing  called  Frenchtcwn,  the  property  of  this 
deponent,  in  the  county  aforesaid  j  that  some  days  previous 
thereto,  a  buttery  for  five  guns  had  been  commenced  on 
the  wharf,  but  was  in  an  unfinished  state  ;  that  on  the  ap 
proach  of  the  British  force,  eight  or  ten  men  collected  and 
commenced  firing  fVoni  the  battery,  and  stopped  the  ad 
vance  of  the  barges  for  sometime.  The  ammunition  be 
ing  expended,  the  barges  then  came  on,  and  a  firing  from, 
them  commenced  of  cannon  shot  at  the  battery,  and  also 
at  the  dwelling  houses  in  Frenchtown.  The  British  then 
landed  on  the  wharf  and  immediately  set  fire  to  a  new 
store  house  on  the  wharf,  which  at  that  time  contained 
nothing  but  a  large  quantity  of  oats,  the  property  of  this 
deponent,  and  also  a  fishery  adjoining  the  wharf  was  set  on  - 
fire  at  the  same  time  ;  after  burning  the  said  storehouse 
and  fishery,  a  force  of  about  two  hundred  and  fiity  ma- 


THE  ENEMY.  75 

rines  was  marched  from  the  wharf  through  Frenchtown. 
and  up  the  river  shore  to  the  dwelling  house  of  this  depo 
nent,  and  demanded  the  way  to  the  town  of  Elkton  ;  that 
finding  the  river  must  be  crossed  on  that  direction  to  get 
to  Elkton,  the  whole,  force  returned  to  Frenchtown,  broke 
open  the  upper  store  house,  which  was  at  that  time  full  of 
goods,  a  part  of  which  was  the  property  of  the  United 
States,  and  the  remainder  for  different  merchants  of  Bal 
timore,  to  the  amount,  probably,  of  fifty  or  sixty  thousand 
dollars,  and  plundered  and  carded  ofT  part  of  the  goods, 
and  set  fire  to  the  house  and  burnt  it  with  the  remainder 
of  the  goods.  This  deponent  saith  that  the  tv/o  store  hous 
es  and  fishery,  together  with  the  oats  and  other  property 
he  had  m  the  upper  store  house  burned  by  the  British  e,s 
aforesaid,  he  has  sustained  a  loss  of  about  three  thousand 
dollars. 

Sworn  before  me  the  subscriber,  on   this   12ih   day  of 
June,  1813. 

ALEXR.  KINKEAD.- 

Ceecil  county,  state  of  Maryland. 

Personally  appeared  before  me,  the  subscriber,  one  of 
the  justices  of  the  peace  for  the  county  aforesaid,  Cordelia 
Pennington,  living  in  Frenchtown,  and  made  oath  on  the 
Holy  Evangelists  of  Almighty  God,  that  she  saw  the  Brit 
ish  on  the  29th  of  April,  1313,  land  on  the  wharf  at  French- 
town,  and  immediately  set  fire  to  and  burnt  the  store  house 
and  fishery  ;  that  on  the  British  breaking  open  the  upper 
store  house,  this  deponent  went  down  to  the  store  house, 
and  solicited  the  commanding  officer  not  to  burn  the  house; 
he  replied  that  he  came  for  the  purpose  of  burninp-  the 
store  houses,  that  they  were  publick  property  ;  that*  this 
deponent  replied  the  store  houses  were  private  property 
and  belonged  to  her  brother  ;  the  officer  said  there  was 
publick  property  in  it  and  it  should  be  burnt,"  and  ordered 
the  house  set  on  fire  and  burnt  it  with  all  the  goods  they 
did  not  carry  away. 

Sworn  before  me,  the  subscriber,  the   12th  day  of  June, 
18 1 3» 

ALEXR.  KINNEAD. 


f6  BARBARITIES  OF 

Cadi  county,  state  of  Maryland. 

Personally  appeared  before  me,  the  subscriber,  one  of 
the  justices  of  the  peace  for  the  county  aforesaid,  Delia 
Peningtcn,  and  made  oath  on  the  Holy  Evangelists  of  Al 
mighty  God,  that  she  saw  the  British,  on  the  29th  of  A- 
pri!,  1813,  land  on  the  wharl  at  Frenchiown,  and  immedi 
ately  set  fire  to  and  burn  down  the  store  house  and  fishery, 
that  after  the  store  house  was  on  fire,  the  marines  were 
marched  up  from  the  wharf,  and  at  the  time  of  plundering 
and  burning  the  upper  storehouse,  the  marines  were  form 
ed  in  the  road  opposite  her  mother's  house:  the  officers, 
commanding  the  marines,  who  informed  this  deponent  his 
name  was  Wybourne,  said  their  orders  were  to  burn  the 
stage  stable,  and  destroy  the  stage  coaches  ;  that  on  this 
deponent's  soliciting  of  him  not,  to  burn  the  stables  and 
stages,  the  officer  replied,  the  question  they  generally  ask 
ed  when  they  went  to  any  place  was,  how  they  voted  at  the 
elections,  and  enquired  of  this  deponent  if  her  uncla, 
meaning  Mr.  Henderson,  voted  for  the  war. 
\-  Sworn  before  me,  the  subscriber,  this  \2th  day  of  June, 
181$. 

ALEXR.  KINKEAD. 

Ido  hereby:  certify,  that  on  the  morning  of  the  6th  of 
3VIay  last,  I  was  impressed  at  my  house  at  Turner's  creek, 
by  the  British  forces  as  they  passed  up  the  river  Sassafras, 
to  Frederick  and  George  towns,  and  was  forced  to  accom 
pany  them  to  the  above  places.  On  our  way  up  we  were 
met  by  two  mulatto  men  in  a  batteau.  Captain  Eying 
(the  name,  I  believe  of  the  officer)  in  whose  boat  I  was, 
took  a  .white  handkerchief,  fastened  it  on  hi*  espontoon, 
•iiid  was  about  to  enter  the  batteau  with  the  negroes,  in  or- 
cer  to  proceed  up  the  liver  to  inform  the  officer  com 
manding  there,  that  if  he  would  not  fire  upon  their  barg 
es  they  would  not  destroy  the  town,  when  he  was  order 
ed  b>  the  admiral  not  to  do  so,  who  observed,"  tlmt  he 
would  only  send  the  negroes  with  the  message,  that  as 
they  were  known  to  the  people  in  the  fort  above  he  ex 
pected  that  they  would  believe  what  they  told  them." — 
We  were  .then  opposite  to  Mr.  Wicke's  farm,  which  I 
think  must  be  about  a  miife  below  the  ibrt.  The  batteau 


THE  ENEMY.  77 

with  the  negroes  went  to  the  fort  as  directed  and  the  Brit 
ish  forces  soon  after  followed.  1  was  in  the  foremost  boat 
and  continued  in  said  boat  until  their  retutn  down  the 
river  after  burning  the  towns,  when  I  was  landed  on  Mr. 
Withe  red's  shore  and  most  positively  declare  that  there 
was  no  white  flag  ever  hoisted  in  her  or  any  of  the  other 
boats  to  my  knowledge,  dor  did  I  ever  hear  any  of  the  Brit 
ish  officers  or  privates  say  they  had  e\er  hois  led  a  flag,  or 
that  one  had  ever  been  fired  on. 

The  captain,  on  his  return  down  the  river,  declared,  that 
"if  he  could  catch  colonel  Veazey,  who  commanded  at  the 
fort  above,  he  would  quarter  him  and  give  me  part  of  his 
quarter  for  steaks,  for  that  the  fire  he  had  received  was  one 
of  Washington's  rounds." 

I  cannot  say  positively  what  number  of  men  they  lost, 
as  they  would  only  acknowledge  five  wounded,  but  think 
they  have  sustained  greater  injury. 

Given  under  my  hand  this  9th  day  of  June,  1813. 

JOHN  bTAVELY, 

Subscribed  and  sworn  to,  before 


I  certify,  that  I  was  at  the  battery  on  Pcr,i\:e's  Point,  oa 
the  6th  of  May,  when  a  squadron  of  BricUh  barges  visiled 
Georgetown  ;  that  I  had  a  full  view  of  ail  the  barges 
until  they  got  possession  of  the  battery  oa  the  Coecil 
shore>  and  that  I  suw  no  white  flag  displayed  from  either 
of  the  barges. 

W.  SPENCER. 

June  9th}  1813. 

We,  the  undersigned,  certify,  that  on  the  6lh  of  M..y 
last,  at  the  time  admiral  Cockburn  with  a  considerable 
armed  force  attacked  and  destroyed  Frederick  and 
George  towns,  on  Sassafras  river,  in  the  slate  of  Mary 
land,  were  in  or  near  the  breast  work  below  Frederick- 
town,  under  the  command  of  colonel  Thom.;s  W.  Veazty. 
From  our  position,  we  had  a  full  and  perfect  view  of  the 
enemy's  hostile  armament,  and  saw  nothing  with  it,  or 
preceded  or  followed  it,  that  indicated  or  had  the  ap- 


78 


BARBARITIES  OF 


pearance  of  a  fag  oftruce>  according  to  the  established  vi 
sage  of  civilized  nations. 

We  understand  a  flag  of  truce  to  be  a  -mission  for  a  pa 
cific  purpose,  accompanied  by  men  without  arms,  and  un 
protected  by  a  naval  or  military  force. 

The  barges  moved  up  the  'river  in  close  and  compact 
order  ;  the  leading  boat,  a  few  yards  afeead  of  the  rest, 
said  to  be  admiral  Cockburn's  carried  a  coloured  flag, 
and  was  escorted  by  not  less  than  fifteen  armed  barges 
and  full  of  armed  men  immediately  in  its  rear,  and  evi 
dently  approaching  in  a  menacing  manner  and  with  hostile 
intentions. 

Given  under  our  hands  this  10th  day  of  June,  1813. 


Joshua  Ward, 
John  W.  Etherington, 
Dela  F,  Heath, 
John  V.  Price, 
Henry  E.  Coalman, 
Samuel  Dixon, 
Joshua  Greenwood, 
Robert  H.  Maxwell, 
William  Etherington, 
John  Loftis. 

We  saw  no  flag 
Joseph  Davis, 
William  Roberts. 
Dormer  Orks, 

his 
Meshuk    X  Kendriek, 


John  Duffoy, 
John  Etherington, 
Moses  N.  Carson, 

his 
Hezekiah  ^  Dowlin 

mark, 

James  S.  Price, 
Elias  See, 
George  Besster, 

any  description. 
his 
Nichols  >4  T.  Franks, 

mark, 
Joshua  lloffington, 

his 

Nathan    ^  Farrow. 
mark, 


mar 
his 
John  X  Gonly 

mark, 

State  of  Maryland,    ? 
Cadi  County  '.         3 

On  the  10th  day  of  June.  Anno  Domini,  1313,  person 
ally  appeared  each  and  every  person  whose  names  are  ^sub- 
scribed  to  the  foregoing  certificate  before  the  subscriber, 
a  justice  of  the  peace  for  the  county  and  state  afore* 
said,  and  rm.<ie  oath  en  the  Holy  Evangelists  of  Almigh- 


THE  ENEMY.  79 

ty  God,  that  the  facts  detailed  in  the  foregoing  certificate 
are  true,  to  the  best  of  their  knowledge  and  belief. 

Sworn  before  H.  B.  PENINGTON, 

I  do  hereby  certify,  that  I  was  at  the  breastwork  near 
Fredericktown  on  the  6th  ultimo,  when  the  British  came 
up  the  river  in  their  barges,  and  that  I  did  not  see  a  flag 
of  truce,  nor  do  I  believe  that  the  commanding  officer  at 
the  breastwork  knew  or  supposed  there  was  any  such  thing 
in  or  among  the  barges.  As  witness  my  hand  this  twelfth 
day  of  June,  1813. 

JAMES  SCAN  LAN. 

Sworn  to  before  the  subscriber,  a  justice  of  the  peace 
for  Coecil  county,  and  state  of  Maryland,  the  day  and  year 
above  mentioned. 

H.  B  PENINGTON. 

The  deposition  of  Richard  Barnaby,  of  Fredericktown^ 
in  Coecil  county,  Maryland,  aged  about  fortyeight  years, 
being  duly  sworn,  deposeth  and  saith,  that  on  the  morn 
ing  of  the  6th  of  May,  after  the  engagement  took  place 
at 'the  fort  below  this  town,  that  he  went  a  short  distance 
out  of  town  to  see  some  females  to  a  place  of  safety,  and 
on  his  return  he  met  about  twenty  of  the  British  troops 
armed,  commanded  by  an  officer  who  observed  on  meet 
ing  of  him,  here  is  one  of  the  damned  rascals  from  the 
fort,  and  then  enquired  where  the  damned  rascals  which 
were  at  the  fort  had  run  to,  and  ordered  him  to  go  with 
him  and  shew  them  to  him  ;  the  deponent  observing  he 
did  not  know  where  they  were,  the  officer  swore  he  was 
a  liar,  and  drew  his  sword  and  threatened  to  kill  him, 
one  of  the  men  presented  a  bayonet  and  another  drew  a 
dirk  and  swore  if  he  did  not  go  he  would  run  it  through 
him  ;  he  afterwards  went  with  them  as  far  as  captain 
Francis  B.  Chandler's  house,  at  which  time  Francis  B. 
Chandler  was  going  towards  his  house,  and  on  their  hear 
ing  some  person  call  him  captain,  the  officer  ordered  his 
men  to  take  him  ;  the  admiral  coming  up  at  the  timer  en 
quired  the  reason  that  the  house  was  not  on  fire.  After 
wards  this  deponent  returned  to  his  own  house  with  the 
admiral  and  requested  of  him  not  to  naye  it  set  on  fire  j 


SO  BARBARITIES  OF 

the  admiral  promised  it  should  not  be  burnt  if  he  would 
furninish  him  wilh  thirty  fowls,  which  he  promised  he 
•would  do  :  he  furnished  them  with  about  thirteen  fowls  ; 
they  then  took  away  and  destroyed  nearly  the  whole  of  his 
furniture  which  was  in  the  house,  and  his  provisions,  and 
left  him. 

Given  under  my  hand  this  12th  Jeme,  1813. 

RICHARD  BARNABY. 

Sworn  to  and  subscribed  before  me,  a  justice  of  th& 
peace  for  Ccecil  county,  the  day  and  year  above  written. 

H.  B.  PENINGTON. 

The  deposition  of  Francis  B.  Chandlear,  of  Fretler- 
kktown,  Coscil  county,  Maryland,  aged  about  thirty- 
siine  years,  being  duly  sworn,  deposes  and  saith,  that  on 
the  morning  of  the  6th  of  May  last,  just  as  he  had  re 
turned  from  the  fort,  he  was  standing  near  his  house  and 
saw  a  British  party  consisting  of  about  fifty  persons,  armed 
and  headed  by  an  officer,  said  to  be  a  post  captain,  running 
up  to  his  house  ;  that  he,  this  deponent,  stepped  upon  the 
steps  of  the  house  and  requested  the  officer  not  to  enter  ; 
that  he  caught  him  by  the  breast  and  called  him  a  damned 
rascal  and  pulled  him  from  off  the  steps,  and  then  entered 
the  house  with  the  whole  of  the  party  and  gave  three 
chrees,  and  ordered  the  men  to  go  to  work  arid  called 
for  lire  ;  that  they  immediately  commenced  cutting  the 
stair  case,  window  sash  and  breaking  the  glass,  and  set 
the  house  on  fire  in  three  places  ;  that  at  this  lime  ad 
miral  Cockburn  arrived,  and  he,  this  deponent,  begged 
him  to  have  the  fire  put  out,  until  he  would  reason  the 
case  with  him,  and  the  admiral  asked  him  what  he  could 
do  :  if  he  could  furnish  thirty  bullocks  in  half  an  hour  ; 
that  if  he  could  not  the  house- should  be  burnt,  and  ask 
ed  him  ii  he  would  try  to  get  them — and  upon  this  depo 
nent  replying  in  the  affirmative,  ordered  the  fire  to  be  put 
out  for  the  present ;  that  he,  this  deponent,  got  upon  his 
horse  and  rode  about  half  a  mile,  when  he  fell  in  with 
colonel  Veazey  and  informed  him  what  he  was  after,  and 
that  the  colonel  told  him  to  go  back  and  inform  the  ad 
miral  that  he  should  not  have  them  ;  that  he  returned 
and  informed  the  admiral  of  it;  who  then  asked  him 


THE.  ENEMY.  81 

«lse  he  could  do,  and  if  he  had  a  good  deal  of  poultry,  and 
upon  replying  yes,  told  him  he  must  have  it,  and  ordered 
his  men  to  catch  it,  which  was  done  and  carried  off : 
that  then  by  the  great  persuasion  and  entreaty  of  this  de 
ponent's  wife  and  sister,  the  house  was  ordered  not  to  be 
burnt ;  but  the  sister  of  this  deponent  was  much  abused  ' 
by  one  of  their  inferior  officers,  for  her  exertions  in  en 
deavoring  to  save  the  property  ;  that  this  deponet  had  his 
warehouse  burnt  by  them  with  a  considerable  quantity  of 
goods  in  it ;  and  that  he  himself  was  a  prisoner  with  them 
for  about  thrce»hours. 

Given  under  my  hand  this  12th  June,  1813. 

FRANCIS  B.  CHANDLEAR. 

Sworn  to  and  subscribed  be  fore  me,  a  justice  of  the  peace 
for  Ccecil  county,  the  day  and  year  above  written. 

H.  B.  PENINGTON. 

On  this  12th  day  of  June,  1813,  personally  appeared  Jon 
athan  Greenwood,  aged  thirty  years,  and  being  first  sworn 
on  the  Holy  Evangelists  of  Almighty  God,  did  declare  and 
say,  that  on  the  morning  of  the  6th  of  May  last,  upon  the 
landing  of  the  British  forces  at  Fredericktown,  where  this 
deponent  resides,  an  officer  and  two  sailors  came  to  said 
deponent's  house,  and  swore  that  if  they  had  not  found 
him  without  arms,  they  would  have  thrust  him  through 
with  their  bayonets  ;  they  then  xetired,  fell  in  with  some 
other  forces,  which  soon  after^came  to  the  deponent's 
house,  broke  it  open,  took  whatever  they  conveniently 
could  carry  away,  and  destroyed  the  rest  with  their  cut 
lasses  and  dirks,  and  burned  it,  with  his  dwelling-house, 
store-house  and  kitchen.  The  officers  appeared  to  be  the 
most  active  in  the  destruction  of  his  properly.  The  houses 
in  the  town  were  soon  after  generally  set  entire  and  des 
troyed. 

JONATHAN   GREENWOOD. 

Sworn  to  and  subscribed  before  me,  a  justice  of  the 
peace  for  Coecii  county,  on  the  day  und  year  above  written*  ' 

H.   B.  PENINGTON. 

The  deposition  of  captain  John  Alien,  of  Frederick- 
town,  Coecii  county,  Maryland,  ug-ccl  abdut  fiftyonc  years?.. 


12  BARBARITIES  OF 

being  duly  sworn,  deposeth  and  saith,  that  on  the  more- 
ing 'of  the  6th  of  May  last,  when  the  British  forces  land 
ed  on  the  beach  of  Fredericktown  and  marched  up- through 
the  streets,  they  fell  in  with  this  deponent  at  his  broth 
er  James  Allen's  house.  Ths  troops  were  headed  by 
the  commanding  officer,  (admiral  Cockburn,  as  this  de 
ponent  was  informed  by  one  of  the  men)  and  observed, 
who  the  damnation  are  these  that  .kept  such  a  firing  upon 
us  ?  are  they  regulars  ?  This  deponent  answered  no — > 
they  are  militia.  He  then  asked  where  they  were  gone, 
and  was  told  he  did  not  know  ;  he  then  asked,  where  are 
all  the  men  of  the  town,  and  was  informed  they  were 
moved  out  ;  he  said  he  had  sent  word  to  the  shore, 
that  if  he  was  not  fired  upon  he  would  not  destroy  any 
property,  and  turned  round  and  observed  to4 a  black  boy 
standing  by,  you  black  son  of  a  bitch  was  one  of  the 
persons  I  sent  word  by,  which  the  boy  denied.  He  then 
ordered  the  men  to  goon  and  burn  and  destroy,  which 
they  executed  with  fidelity,  this  deponent  then  begged 
the  admiral  to  spare  his  house  (meaning  the  house  cf  James 
Allen)  as  his  brother's  wife  was  confined  up  stairs,  in  a 
very  delicate  situation,  with  an  infant  only  two  days  old. — » 
He  then  ordered  her  to  be  cleared  cut;  Mrs,  M'Don- 
nah,  his  wife's  mother,  ran  out  clapping  her  hands,  and 
begged  for  God's  sake  to  spare  ner  child,  for  if  she 
was  removed  her  life  \fflald  be  lost.  He  then  ordered, 
spare  this  house,,  ..  He  now  inarched  off,  after  the  men 
had  been  gone  for  some  little  time,  and  shortly  after  re 
turned  on  horse-back.  This  deponent  then  requested  the 
admiral .. to  spare  him  one  ?;ouse  that  he  might  collect  his 
family  together  in  after  it  should  please  Providence  to  re 
store  peace  between  the  two  nations  He  then  directed 
this  deponent  to.  get  him  some  fowls,  vho  informed  him 
he  had  none  ;  he  damned  him,  and  asked  if  he  could  not 
get  them,  and  was  told  no  ;  immediately  afterwards  a  fire 
was  made  in  the  store-house  and  consumed.  While 
George  and  Frederick  towns  were  in  flames,  the  admiral 
in  the  presence  of  this  deponent  observed  to  his  officers — 
well,  my  lads,  this  looks  well-— to  which  no  reply  was 
made,  and  he  ordered  ail  hands  on  board  the  boats.  Th.it 
this  deponent  saw  the  British  two  and  a  half  miles  off. 


THE  ENEMY.  S3 

coming  up,  and  saw  no  flag  of  truce  or  any  thing  like  it ; 
that  this  deponent  is  of  opinion  the  defence  made  by  col 
onel  Veazey  and  the  men  under  his  command  was  such  as 
to  entile  them  to  much  credit,  and  justified  by  every  cir 
cumstance  within  his  knowledge,  though  l^imself  and 
brother  are  sufferers  to  nearly  one  half  of  the  property  in 
Fredericktown. 

JOHN  ALLEN. 

Sworn  to  and  subscribed  before  me,  this   12th  day  of 
June,  1813,  a  justice  of  the  peace  for  Coecil  county. 

H,  B.  PEN1NGTON. 


The  deposition  of  Joshua  Ward,  living  about  one  mile 
from  Fredericktown  in  Coecil  county,  aged  fortyfour,  be 
ing  duly  sworn,  deposeth  and  saith,  that  from  the  best  in 
formation  he  could  obtain  from  those  persons  that  were 
left  at  is  house,  that  a  party  of  British  consisting  of  be 
tween  thirty  and  forty  men,  commanded  by  an  officer,  said 
to  be  a  post  captain,  on  the  6th  of  May  last,  went  to  his 
house  and  immediately  placed  a  guard  round  it,  enquired 
particularly  for  him,  and  searched  every  part  of  the  house, 
swearing  they  would  sacrifice  him  ;  being  disappointed  in 
finding,  me,  they  then  began  to  destroy  the  tables,  chairs, 
looking  glasses,  Sec.  when  they  had  completed  the  de 
struction  of  R'.ch  furniture  aa  they  could  not  take  off 
with  them,  the  officer  himself  took  down  a  pair  of  hand 
some  looking  glasses,  others  of  the  party  took  as>  much  of 
the  bedding,  clothing,  plate;  window  curtains,  &c.  as  they 
could  conveniently  carry  v,*ith  them  ;  my  little  boy's 
clothes  they  carried  off  on  the  point  of  their  bayonets  ;  be 
fore,  they  left  the  house  they  put  powder  in  every  room 
below  stairs,  an  officer  got  fire  himself  from  the  kitchen, 
and  had  it  kindled  in  the  different  rooms,  and  abed  put 
in  the  4'^llar  with  a  part  of  the  broken  chairs,  tables,  Sec. 
and  a  fire  kindled  ;  they  then  left  the  house,  but  contin 
ued  in  the  yard  until  the  fire  was  bursting  from  the  win 
dows,  and  swore  that  if  there  was  an  attempt  to  extinguish 
the  fire  they  would  put  the  person  to  death,  that  they  in 
tended  to  return  and  burn  every  thing  on  the  farm  ;  they 


84  BARBARITIES  OF 

fired  at  one  of  my  sons  not  twelve  years  of  age,  as  he  was 
driving  off  a  flock  of  sheep. 

JOSHUA  WARD. 

Sworn  to  a»d  subscribed  before  me,  a  justice  of  the 
peace  forCcecil  county.  Maryland,  this  14th  June,  1813. 

II.  B  PENINGTON. 

The  deposition  of  Toilus  Roberson,  aged  about  thirty 
four  years,  who  did  live  within  about  one  mile  from 
Fredericktown  in  -Coscil  county,  Maryland  :  This  depo 
nent  states  that  on  the  mornjng  of  the  6th  of  May,  he  was 
at  the  breastwork  near  Fredericktown,  at  the  time  the 
British  armament  came  up  the  Sassafrass  river  ;  that  he 
saw  no  flag  of  truce  ;  that  after  the  militia  were  obliged 
to  retreat  he  returned  home,  and  in  a  very  short  time  saw 
a  parly  of  the  British  coming  towards  his  house,  and  he 
and  his  family  left  their  house,  except  two  black  women 
and  a  black  man,  who  state  that  the  British  took  the  de 
ponent's  household  furniture,  and  piled  it  up  in  the  yard 
before  the  house  door,  and  set  them  on  fire,  which  com 
municated  to  the  house  and  consumed  it  also  ;  the  barn 
which  stood  about  one  hundred  yards  from  the  house  was 
set  on  fire  and- consumed.  This-  deponent  lost  all  his 
household  goods  and  provisions.  lie  saw  Frederickto'wn 
in  flames  previous  to  his  leaving  his  house,  which  alarmed 
himself  and  family  to  that  degree  that  he  abandoned  his 
house  for  their  safety. 

Wiliitss  my  hand, 

TOILUS  ROBETSON. 

Sworn  and  subscribed  to  before  the  subscriber,  a  justice 
of  the  peace  for  Ccecil  county,  Maryland,  this  14th  day  of 
June,  1813, 

Hi  B.  PENINGTOK. 

The  deposition  of  Moses  N.  Cannon,  aged  about  thirty 
two,  who  lives  within  about  one  half  mile  of  Frcylerick- 
town  jn  Coecil  county,  Maryland  :  This  deponenl'  states 
thut  nc  was  at  the  breast  work  near  Fredericktown  on 
the  6th  of  May  last,  when  the  British  armament  carne 
up  the  Sassafras  river,  that  he  saw  no  flag  truce  ;  that 
after  the  militia  were  obliged  to  retreat;  he  returned 


THE  ENEMY.  8£ 

liome,  and  was  occupied  in  turning  horses  out  of  his  wheat 
field,  when  a  party  of  the  British  came  to  his  house,  he 
rode  up  to  them,  and  they  informed  him  that  he  was  their 
prisoner  ;  arid  on  his  observing  that  he  was  in  their  pow* 

•  er,  they  inquired  of  him  if  he  had  any  thing  to  drink,  and 
he  answering  in  the  negative,   they  told  him  they  had  got 
something  to  eat,  and  asked  him  if  he  wanted  his  house 
burnt,  and  he  answering  in  the  negative,  they  told  him  to 
go  then  to   the  captain,    that  he  was  in  the   house  and 
\vould  set  -fire  to  it ;   and  on  his  going  towards  the  house 
he  met  the  person  whom  they  called  the  captain  with  an 
other  person   with  him,  loaded  with  his,  this  deponent's, 
bed  clothes,  a  pair  boots,  and  a  number  of  ether  articles, 
carrying  them  towards  his  men,  who  were  formed  outside 
the  yai'd,  at  the  time  an  officer  on  horseback  rode  up   and 
inquired  of  the  deponent  where  the  damned  militia  were  ; 

'•'he  observed  to  him  %iey  had  retreated,  pointing  at  the 
same  time  towards  a  wood,  he  observed  he  must  burn  the 

'deponent's  house,  and  on  the  deponent  expostulating 
•with  him,  and  stating  the  disadvantage  he  -'would  labour 
under  in  case  his  house  was  burnt,  he  then  inquired  of 
him  the  road  to  the  mouth  of  Elk  river,  and  if  he$  the 
officer,  could  march  his  men,  there,  and  the  deponent  ob 
served  that  his  government  would  not  permit  him  to  give 
him  any  instructions  ;  and  the  officer  observed  he  knew 
that  as  well  as  the  deponent,  but  that  he  might  trust  a  Brit 
ish  officer,  and  smiled,  and  turned  his  horse  and  ordered 
his  men  to  march,  and  they  went  off  without  burning  the 
house  or  asking  any  more  questions.  The  deponent  then 
went  to  a  neighbouring  house  to  see  about  a  part  of  his 
family,  and  on  his  return  back  towards  his  house,  he  was 

:  fired  on  by  a  party  of  the  British  stationed  in  the  publkk 
road,  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  from  the  depo 
nent's  house;  he  then  retreated  across  the  'field,  and 
abandoned  lu's  house;  he  saw -after  riding  from  the  par 
ty  who  fired  on  him,  a  party  going  towards  his  house, 
who,  as  be  supposes,  destroyed  or  took  away  the  residue 
of  his  household  goods,  and  broke  the  window  glass,  sash, 

•  doors,  and  did  considerable  damage  to  his  house*     Fred- 


36  BARBARITIES  OF 

ericktown  was  en  fire  about  the  time  the. first  party  oF 
the  British  came  to  the  deponent's  house. 
Witness  my  hand, 

MOSES  N.  CANNON. 

Sworn  to  and  subscribed  before  me,  a  justice  of  the 
peace  for  Ccecil  county,  Maryland,  this  fourteenth  day  0f 
June,  1813. 

H.  B,  PENNXNGTON. 

I  do  hereby  certify,  that  being  in  the  fort  at  Frederick- 
town  on  Sassafras  river,  on  the  morning  of  th«  sixth  of 
May  last,  when  a  battle  took  place  with  the  British  and 
the  militia  under  the  command  of  colonel  Thomas  W. 
Veazy,  I  distinctly  saw  the  enemy  from  the  time  they 
first  came  in  view,  and  discerned  no  flag  of  truce  or  any 
thing  resembling  one.  The  enemv  after  some  resistance 
landed,  burned  Frederick  a«d  Georgetowns,  and  destroyed 
a  great  deal  of  other  private  property.  My  house  about 
eight  miles  on  the  river  from  the  fort,  was  plundered  by 
them  on  their  way  down  the  river. 

JNO.  T.  VEAZY. 

Sassafras  neckr  Ccecil  county,  June  28^/t,  1813. 

Sworn  before  H.  £.  PENNINGTON. 

[Here  follows,  in  the  printed  volume  of  documents,  s 
statement  of  the  species,  quantity  and  valuation  of  prop 
erty,  b,urnt  or  otherwise  destroyed  or  taken  away,  by  the 
enemy  at  Fredeticktown  and  Georgetown,  the  amount  of 
v  hich  is- — 

At  Fredericklovn  JDols.  15,871   07 

At  Georgetown  19,755  81 


Total  burnt  and  destroyed  or  taken  off  55,626  88 

[This  statement  is   signed  and  authenticated  by  Messrs. 
John  J.  Cox,  John  Maxwell  and  James  Blackiston.] 

JZaaternshore)  Maryland* 

£n\ — "Multiplied  engagements  and  forgetlulness  suc 
ceeding  each  other,  have  prevented  my  forwarding  to 
you  this  statement  of  the  depredations  committed  on  my 
property  at  Sharp's  Island,  by  the  enemy  while  in  the 
Chesapeake.  On  the  12ih  of  April,  while  I  was  in  the 
act  of  removing  my  stock,  Sec., they  landed  upwards  of  an 


THE  ENEMY.  3? 

Imndred  men  andprevented  my  removingany  thing.  They 
detained  me  on  the  island  until  the  I7ih,  in  which  tinu 
they  were  principally  engaged  in  getting  water.  Decla 
rations  were  made  by  admiral  VVarren  and  the  other  offi 
cers,  that  every  thing  of  the  stock  or  grain  kro;l,  taken 
away  should  be  paid  for  at  a  fair  price  Admiral  Cock- 
burn  was,  I  was  informed,  at  this  time  sent  up  the  bay 
with  the  advance  detachment  of  the  fleet.  Admiral  War 
ren's  ship  and  a  few  tenders  only  remained,  about  the  isl 
and.  At  thiit  time  they  took  twenty-eight  hogs,  four  sheep, 
twelve  cattle,  thirteen  bushels  of  Indian  corn,  and  inform 
ed  me  that  they  should  allo.r  the  following  prices  for  them; 
hogs,  two  dollars  and  fifty  cents-  -t  sheep,  t\vo  dollars  an! 
fifty  cents  -f  cattle,  thirteen  dollars  a.  pitce  ;  com,  one  do!- 
lar  per  bushel.-  On  my  return  to  the  island  some  x,vecV.j 
afterwards,  the  accounts  were  made  out,  to  the  amount 
of  two  hundred  and  forty  seven  dollars,  bills  on  their  £or- 
ernment  taken  for  the  amount,  except  about  fii';y  four  dol 
lars  in  specie.  Before  I  returned  to  the  island,  the  fleet  haJ. 
all  gone  down  the  bay.  I  understood  from  the  inhabit 
ants,  living  in  sight  of  the  island,  ihutthe  enemy  had  pai.l 
the  island  another  visit  and  hud  made  a  general  sweep  of 
the  stock.  On  my  arrival  at  the  Ll.md  i  lound  it  too  true. 
They  hud  taken  all  »ny  sheep,  in  number  ninety -one  ;  sii^- 
ty-iive  of  which  were  one  half  and  thrte  fourths  blood  me 
rinos,  and  one  full  blood  ram,  which  cobt  me  ninety. the 
deihu-s,  eighteen  head  of -cuttle  and  ubout  twenty  hogs. 
They  leit  a  bill  on  their  government  for  one  bundled  uiid 
thirty-three  dt.llurs  an  j  cash  to  die  umountof  for:y.  They 
took  all  the  poultry,  shot  in  a  wunion  manner  one  of  tho 
finest  boars  which  this  country  could  produce,  and  wliicli 
was  much  admired  by  adniiral  Warren  for  his  uncomuic.i 
beauty  ai;d  breed,  und  who  forbid,  us  u  favour  to  a;e,  tlu.t 
he  should  Le  dibiuibcd.  They  bayoneted  others,  whiea 
they  left  wounded,  and  which  would  have  bten  lost,  hu.l 
my  overseer  not  saved  a  part  by  killing  them.  They  kit 
nothing  Ibr  the  sheep  only  a  promise  of  two  dollars  p^i- 
head.  I  have  estimated  my  loss,  arising  piincipuiiy  fro  i 
this  last  visit,  at  twelve  hundred  and  three  doibrs,  Mav..l 
appear  by  the  following  statement : 


88  BARBARITIES  OF 

[Here  follows  a  detailed  statement  of  the  value  of  the 
articles  taken.] 

N  I  will  give  those  prices  to  any  person  who  will  reinstate 
the  same  nvrrqber  of  stock  and  kine,  at  the  close  of  the 
war,  or  deliver  them  at  any  of  my  farms,  the  ram  except- 
ed,  as  I  have  raised  others  of  the  same  kind.  The  injury 
done  me  by  breaking  up  the  flock  of  sheep  is  far  beyond 
the  prices  stated,  as  they  cannot  be  reinstated  fur  several 
years.  The  destruction  of  the  ram  was  a  wanton  outrage, 
as  he  was  not  fit  to  be  eaten.  He  was  bayoneted,  and  I 
believe  left  on  the  island.  This  I  presume  was  aimed  at 
«ur  manufactures. 

There  will  be  a  loss  of  at  least  20  per  cent,  upon  the 
bills  if  sold  here,  and  probably  a  total  loss  if  I  wait   for 
the   British   government  to  pay  them.     Add  this   to  the 
Amount  above  given,  makes  the   total  loss  I,*p3  dollars-—.... 
Your  Iriend  and  servant, 

JACOB  GIBSON. 
Marengo,  l&th  July,  1313. 
James  J\abb^  esq.  near  East  on. 

Talbot  county^  scf. 

On  the  20th  July,  18  13,  came  Jacob  Gibson,  esq.  before- 
me,  one  of  the  justices  of  the  peace. for  the  state  of  Mary 
land,  and  for  Talbot  county  aforesaid,  and  made  oath  on  the 
Holy  Evangelists  of  Almighty  Gqd,  that  what  is  contained 
in  the  within  instrument  of  writing,  is  just  and  true,  as 
stated,  as  near  as  he  can  ascertain. 

WILLIAM  HARRISON". 
(Copy.) 

U.  States' frigats  Adams  July  24,  1813. 
Si-B—,1  have  the  honour  to  enclose  tlie^copy  of  a  letter 
from  liculenant  Re^d,  giving  the  particulars  of.  the  loss  of 
the  schooner  Asp,  and  the  inhuman  conduct  of  the  enemy 
to  her  commander,   Mr.  Sigourney.     Another  letter  from 
lieutenant  Read  of  the  same,  date,  mentions  that  no  part  of 
the   enemy's  force   were   then  above  Blackstone's  island, 
e, 'further  states,  that  in  their  attempts  to  land  on  the  Vir- 
shore,  they  have  been  invariably  repulsed. 
Very  respectiully,  &c. 

C.  MORRIS. 

//>;?;.   JJ'm.  Jones,  secretary  of  the  navy,    Washington. 
(Ccpy.) 


THE  ENEMY. 


United  States1  cutter 

Potomac,  July  23  d,  IS  13.    * 

SIR  —  It  is  with  much  pain  I  have  to  inform  you  of  the 
death  of  poor  Segourny,  who  was  killed  a  few  dajs  ago, 
(I  cannot  say  when)  gallantly  defending  his  vessel.  He 
was  attacked  whilst  lying  in  Kin  sale  Creek,  by  three 
launches,  and  after  a  sharp  conflict  beat  them  oiF.  They 
however,  on  gaining  the  moiuh  of  the  creek,  were  reinforc 
ed  by  Uvo  more,  and  again  renewed  the  conflict.  About 
this  dme  Mr.  Segourney  got  wounded  through  the  body. 
The  crew  on  seeing  him  fail,  having  no  officer  capable  of 
leading  them,  jumped  overboard,  and  gained  the  shore; 
when  the  enemy,  who  by  this  time  succeeded  in  getting 
on  board  finding  the  colors  still  flying,  and  Segourney  sit 
ting  up,  barbarously  knocked  his  brains  out  with  the  but 
end  ol  a  musket. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  action,  Mr.  Segourney 
thinking  them  too  strong  for  him,  had  ran  the  schooner  on 
shore,  i;i  which  situation  the  enemy  found  her,  and  not  be 
ing  able  to  get  her  off,  set  her  on  fire.  The  milkLi,  how 
ever,  (who  must  have  been  slow  in  collecting)  by  this  timtj 
got  down  and  beat  thera  olf,  retook  the  schooner  and  extin 
guished  the  flames. 

They  have  since  buried  Mr.  Segourney  with  the  hon 
ours  o,f  war. 

I  have  wot  heard  any  thing  of  the  crew. 
I-  ana,  sir,  yours  respectfully,' 

C-EOCiOE  C.  READ-, 
£a/i!.  Charles  '  Afjrm,  U.  o.  frigate 


P.  S.  All  this  I  have  from  authority  which   cannot  be 

doubted.  ••• 


Rxlract  o/'  a  letter  from  ttiid^/u/imaii  If.  J\-£.  ''Al'Clintock 
duicd  Kinzale,  July  19^,  1813,  to  ihs  secretary  <.f  the  no.- 
~v  -j  cLafiart?nc-n'. 

We  were  attacked  by  Gve  boats  ;  we  continued  doing 
^he  same  as  before i  but  having  so  fc\v  men  we  were  unable 
to  repel  the  enemy  ;  when  they  boarded  us  iliey  refastd 
giviu..j  any  quanei's  ;  there  were  upwards  of  fif;y  mc;i 
wi  jur  cle~ks,  v/hich  compclisd  us  lo  lcave  Uie^veJatl,  us 


90  BARBARITIES  OF 

the  enemy  had  possession  ;  they  put  her  on  fire,  and  re- 
treated. 


Extract  of  a  letter  from  Jo/in  Tuberuiile^  major  of  the  2d 

brigade,  \\thrcgt.  of  the  Virginia  militia)  dated  Kimalc, 

July  20///,  1313. 

"  I  arrived  myself  at  the  place  of  capture  before  the 
colors  were  lowered,  and  am  confident  that,  even  at  that, 
time,  their  numbers  amounting  to  between  sixty  and  sev 
enty}  might  have  been  reduced  one  half,  before  they  could 
make  their  escape,  could  I  have  commanded  twenty  de- 
term  ine.d  men.  The  gallant  commandant  fell  before  the 
enemy  boarded  him,  by  a  ball  which  passed  through  his 
body,  but  continued  to  fight  till  the  last  extremity.  When 
there  were  forty  or  fifty  of  the  enemy  on- deck,  one  of  the 
schooners  ci*cw  asked  for  quarters,  which  was  denied 
him.  At  this  instant,  the  few  men  remaining  made-  their 
escape  by  swimming  to  the  shore,  and  Mr.  b'egourney  was 
instantly  shot  through  the  head.  The  vessel  was  shortly 
set  on  fire  and  the  barges  rowed  off.  The  officers  fought 
bravely,  and- M'Clintock  defended  the  vessel,  with  much 
credit  to  himself  after  the  commanding-  officer  was  wound 
ed." 

Hon.  Wm.  Jones,  secretary  of  the  naroy^   Washington. 

(Copy) 

JVfrcp&tffto)  July  19,  1813. 

SJ.R — On  Sunday  night  the  1.1  tit  instant,  an  English  fleet 
consisting  of  one  seventy-four,  three  frigates,  one  brig 
and  three  schooners,  anchored  about  one  mile  from  O- 
cracoke  bar  ;  about  day-break,  we  were  informed  of  it  on 
Portsmouth,  by  persons  frem  Ocracoke.  I  immecU* 
ately  got  up  and  ordered  the  cutter  to  get  under  way,  and 
runup  to  Ne\vburn  and  give  the  alarm,  which-  she  dici, 
but  made  a  very  narrow  escape  from  the  barges,  as  she 
was  obliged  to  bent  over  the  swash  against  wind  and  tide, 
while  they  could  rov/  a  straight  course.  I  believe  Ad 
miral  Cockburn  intended  to  have  yibited  Kewburn,  for 
the  purpose  of  robbing  the  banks,  but  was  pre\ented  by, 
the  cutter  making  her  escape  to  giiethe  alarm:  indeed 
he  said  such  v/as  bis  intention,  and  was  much  exasperat 
ed  because  the  barges  did  not  uke  her.  I  believe  there- 


THE  ENEMY.  9J 

was' as  many  as  twenty-five  barges  that  crossed  the  bar, 
and  I  think  there  could  not  have  been  less  than  thr«;« 
thousand  regulars,  marines  and  sailors,  in  them  :  they 
captured  the  privateer  brig  Anaconda,. of  New-York,  and 
the  lette?  of  marque  schooner  Athens,  of  Philadelphia, 
both  fast  sailing  vessels  ;  they  then  landed  on  Portsmouth 
and  Ocracoke,  arid  such  a  cruel,  wanton  destruction  of 
property  was  scarcely  ever  witnessed  ;  they  broke  in  piec 
es  almost  every  species  of  furniture,  cut  open  beds,  and 
scattered  the  feathers,  and- .even  carried  their  villainy  to 
such  a  length  as  to  rob  many  women  of  their  children's 
clothes  without  leaving  them  a  second  suit  to  their  backs.- 
The  officers  pretended  there  should 'be  no -depredations 
eornmitted,  and  when  complaints  were  made  to  them  they 
would  say,  "  point  out  the  fellow  and  he  shall  lie  correct 
ed,  "  well  knowing  it  was  impossible- to  identify  any  one  o£ 
them,  among  such  a  number  of  strangers.  They  took  off 
the  two  places  two  hundred  cattle,  four  hundred  sheep, 
and  sixteen  hundred  fowls,  for  which  they  intended  to  pay 
the  inhabitants,  some  of  whom  I  believe,  received  more 
than  compensation^  and  others  received  nothing  ;  in  short 
they  have  ruined  almost  all  on  the  places.  I  had  time  to 
send  my  trunk  with  what  bonds  and  money  there  arc  be-~ 
longing  to  the  United  States,  on  board  the  .cotter  which 
escaped.  I  also  had  time  to  bring  a  few  of  the  most  valu 
able  papers  belonging  to  the  office  ;  it  is  well  I  did,  for 
they  destroyed  my  office  entirely,  every  paper  in  it,  both 
publick  arid  private  ;  they  destrroyed  my  library  and  all 
other  property  of  mine  they  could  find,  about  eight  hun 
dred  dollars  worth  ;  and  then  sent  me  on  board  the  seven 
ty-four  where  they  detained  me  two  days,  until  they  had 
embarked  and  were  ready  to  sail.  I  was  on  shore  two 
days  before  they  discovered  I  was  a  publick  officer-;  I  pre«- 
same  they  sent  me  on  board  to  prevent  observation.  Af 
ter  they  had  kept  me  until  they  were  ready  to  start,  they 
turned  me  adrift  in  the  ocean  in  a  small  boat  with  four 
Spaniards,  not  one  of  whom  was  acquainted  with  the  bar 
more  than  myself,  in  consequence  of  which  we  got  into 
the  breakers  and  very  narrowly  es-cipei!  being  lost  ;  all 
these  things  were  transacted  under  the  direction  of  the  hu 
mane  admiral  Cockburn.  I  believe,  from  the  conversa* 


52  BARBARITIES  OF 

tkm   I  overheard,  that  they  intend  to  visit  Beaufort,  theii 
Wilmington,  and  so  on  to  the  southward. 

My  returns  shall  be  made  as  soon  as  I  can  get  what  re- 
mains  in  some  kind  of  order. 
Very  respectfully,*-  • 

THGS.  S.  SINGLETON,  Co/. 
Hon.  7f%t.  Jone$)  acting  secretary  of  the  treasury. 

On  the  morning  of  the  3d  May,  the  day  the  British  UK- 
der  command  of  admiral  I ockburn  made  the  attack  on 
the  town  of  Havre-de-Grace,  on  my  return  from  the  com 
mons  where  I  had  deposited  some  ammunition,  I  observed 
an  officer  on  the  horse  of  Mr.  James  Wood  of  this  place, 
a  f«w  paces  in  a  S.  W»  direction  of  the  church.  At  first 
sight  I  was  of  opinion  it  was  one  of  our  officers,  which  I 
thought  to  <be  adjutant  M'Kinna,  having  heard  but  a  few 
moments  before  the  voice  ef  John  O'Neill  crying  out  in 
v/ords  to  this  effect,  "  men  return,  we  can  beat  the  rascals 
cff."  I  was  however,  deceived,  as  this  officer  was  the  per 
son  who  took  O'Neill  prisoner  while  in  the  act  of  entreat 
ing  the  militia  to  return.  Not  knowing  at  wh&t  time 
O  Neill  was  taken  Ly  him,  I  advanced  in  a  direction  to 
wards  the  ciiuieh  en  my  way  to  the  magazine,  to  assist-  in. 
carrying  off  more  ammunition]  when  I  discovered  in  the 
front  of  the  church  a  file  of  marines.  To  the  be^t  cf  my 
recollection  I-  was  then  at  a  distance  of  from  100  to  150 
yards  from  the  officer  on  horse-back,  and  I  think  about  the 
same  from  three  militia-men,  when  this  officer  (said  to 
be  a  lieutenant  Westfall)  with  a  drawn  sword  in  his  hand; 
it  being  the  only  Jlag  he  carried,  cried  out  two  or  three 
times,  "  win  you  surrender  ?3>  c»e  of  the  miliiia  men 
made  answer,  but  what  it  was  I  could  not  distinctly  hear, 
and  immediately  fired  en  him,  aod  it  is- said  wounded, 
him  in  the  hand.  Finding,  it  impossible  to  reach  the 
magazine-,  the  marines  then  being  round  the  church,  which. 
Was  contiguous  to  it,  I  bent  my  course  towards  Mr.  dears'- 
tavern  in  hopes  of  finding  some  of  the  British  officers  there? 
aral  bv  entreaty  to  save  some  of  the  piivaie  property, 
which  I  was  fearful  would  be  destroyed.  On  reaching; 
Mr.  Sears' sigu  post, !  found  fc\he  first  diusicn  of  louts  had* 
ju&t  leached  the  wharf,  a^d  ti^o  large  ^mjs  v^eie 


THE  ENEMY. 

&ne  of  which  threiv  a  ball  on  the  roof  and  knocked  off 
some  shingles  ;  the  firing  then  ceased,  when  two  other 
gentlemen  with  myself  advanced  on  the  wharf  and  asked 
for  the  commander  of  that  division  of  boats.  A  person 
whom  I  supposed  'o  be  a  midshipman  from  his  -appearancej 
answered  "  captain  Lawrence  will  be  here  directly  ;"  he 
then  asked  a  number  of  questions,  such  as,  have  you  any 
newspapers,  how  many  militia  have  you  and  where  are 
they  stationed,  where  is  your  post-office,  Sec.  Sec.  to  all  of 
which  we  carefully  avoided  giving  any  direct  answer. 
Some  of  the  barges  then  warped  up  along  side  of  the  wharf," 
when  I  thought  it  most  prudent  to  leave  them,  being 
fearful  that  I  should  be  made  a  prisoner.  I  then  walk« 
ed  up  towards  the  ferry  house,  followed  by  the  two  gen 
tlemen  who  went  wiih  me  on  the.  wharf;  we  were  met 
by  an -officer  who  immediately  ordered  us  back.  After 
reaching  the  lower  end  of  the  wharf  the  midshipman  before 
mentioned  said — sir,  this  is  captain  Lawrence,  pointing  to 
the  officer.  Lawrence  then  aderessed  us  in  words  to  thisa- 
mount,  "  what  have  you  got  to  say  for  yourselves  ;  where 
is  your  mayor  or  chief  magistrate  ?"  He  was  told  we  had 
no  mayor,  and  there  was  no  magistrate  in  the  place-  He 
then  asked,  "are  you  prepared  to  ransom  the  town  ?"  I 
asked  him  what  sum  he  demanded  ;  he  said  about  £0,000 
dolllars.  We  told  him  no  such  sum  could  be  ruhed.  "Why. 
then"  he  replied,  "did  you  fire  on  us  ?  had  you  not  dons 
that,  and  hung  out  a  flag  we  would  have  treated  you  bet 
ter."  J  then  asked  him  what  was  their  intention  in  com 
ing,  and  in  what  manner  they  would  have  acted  had  a  flag 
been  hung  out  on  their  approach.  To  the  first  question, 
he  gave  nu  answer  but  after  a  short  pause  observed,  "  about 
one  half  the  sum  now  demanded  would  have  been  taken." 
He  was  then  told,  small  as  that  might  appear  to  him  it 
could  not  have  been  raised.  Then,  says  he  turning,  hasti 
ly  round,  "in  three  quarters  of  an  hour  your  tow.n  shall 
be  in  flames  ;  you  shall  now  feel  the  effects  of  war."  The 
said  captain  Lawrence  thep  went  into  the  tavern  of  Mrs, 
Sears  and  with  two  or  three  men  brought  out  a  bale  or 
box  of  goods  (which  was  said  to  have  been  lodged  there 
the  night  before,  belonging  to  a  lady  in  Georgetown)  and 
placed  it  a  few  paces  in  front  of  the  house  ;  another  officer 


M  BARBARITIES  OF 

(name  unknown)  entered  afterwards  and  brought  out5  a< 
second  box,  and  placed  it  near  the  first.  Captain  Law* 
renee  then  lamed  to  him  and  said,  "sir,  I  have  placed 
a  guard  here,  we  must  now  attend  to  other  business  ;  we 
will  see  to  this/'  pointing  to  the  goods,  "  to-night."  The 
order  to  fire  the  houses  was  -then  given,  and  captian  Law 
rence  walked  down  street  and  entered  the  store  of  S.  Hogg 
and  Co.  the  door  of  which  had  been  previously  brokeur 
open,  and  a  few  men  were  in  the  act  of  taking  off  wear 
ing  apparel,  &c.  others  had  got  to  the  counting  room  desk 
in  search  of  money,  scattering  the  papers,  £cc.  on  the  floor* 
The  shameful  act  of  pii&riu-g  the  goods  was  however  re 
served  for  the  redoubtable  captain  Lawrence  ;  he  it  was 
•who  first  began  the  shameful  scene,  so  disgraceful  to  an 
officer,  by  taking  down  knives,  forks,  8cc  saying,  "  ha  ! 
the  very  things  -we  want,"  and  turning  round  called  in  a 
.fresh  set  of  plunders  and  said,  "  boys,  here  is  fine  plun 
der  ;'r  the  men  did  not  wait  a  second  invitation  ;  but  set 
in  with  their  worthy  leadtr,  and  in  a  short  time  emptied 
the  store,  excepting  SOXTI&,  articles  which  were  of  iktle 
value.. . 

WH,  T.  &ILLPATRICK. 

P.  3"."  \Vhen  I  found  that  captain  Lawrence  ordered 
his  men  in  the  store  and  gave  the  order  of  plunder,  I  re 
monstrated  with  him  on  the  -impropriety  of  such  proceed 
ing.,  and  observed  that  with  civilized  nations  at  warpiiv- 
ate  property  hud -always  been  respected.  He  replied  in 
a  hasty  manner,  "  you  ought  to  be  more  particular  in  your 
choice  of  representatives, j  you  wanted  war-und  you  shall-- 
now  feel  the -effects." "  W.  T.  K, 

Sworn  .to,  this  twewtyfifth  day  of  June,  1 81 3,  before 

ELIJAH  DAVIS, 

Personally  came  James  Wood,  of  Havre-de-Grace,  be 
fore  me  the  sub&C;  iber,  one  of  the  justices  of  the  peace  for 
Hertford  county,  and  made  oath  according  to  law  ;  that 
on  Monday  morning  the  3d  of  May,  1813,  between  day 
light  and  sunrise,  as  he  was  riding  in  the  town  of  Havi  ti 
de- Grace  he  discovered  some  men  in  the  act  of  hauling 
up  the  shore  a  piece  of  artillery  that  had  been  mounted 
en  the  .battery,  and  from  their  dress  and  the  dullness  cf 


THE  ENEMY.  ss 

4tie  morning  he  took  them  to  be  Americans,  nor  did  he  dis-' 
.cover  his  mistake  until  he  was  made  prisoner  and  compell 
ed  to  dismount ;  upon  which  the  officer  commanding  the 
^British  immediately  mounted  his  horse.     A  short  period 
-after,  he  was  ordered  on  board  of  a  barge  in  company  witk 
some  other  prisoners,  which  barge  was  moved  up  to  Mrs. 
'Sear's  wharf  in  company  with  other  barges.     Some  short 
time  after  he  discovered  a  house  at  some  distance  from  the 
rivater  to  be  on  fire, which  excited  some  surprise  (the  house 
belonged  to  Mr.  John  Tucker)  he  observed  to  the  cock 
swain  of  the  boat,  there  was  a  house  on  fire,  asked  if  he  did 
.not  suppose  it  to  be  set  on  fire  by  a  rocket;  he  replied, 
"  perhaps  it  might   ;"  directly  after,  I  saw  the  British 
-kindling  a  fire  in  the  yard  of  Mrs.  Sear's,  and  asked  them 
>forwhat  that  was  intended;  the  cockswain  answered  to 
set  that  house  on  fire  ;  I  then  asked  tham,  why  you  are 
not  going  to  burn  the  building  !  The  reply  from  an  offi 
cer  on  board  the  same  barge  (and  who  I  believe  had  not 
been  on  shore)  was  "  yes,  sir,  we  shall  lay  your  town  in 
ashes  ;"  and  in  a  few  minutes  I  saw  a  general  conflagra 
tion  of  the   greater  part  of  the  best  buildings,  during  the 
time  I  remained  on  board,  which  was  until  a  very  short 
time  before  they  left  the  place.     I  saw  the  officers  as  well 
as  the  men  in  small  squads  bringing  on  board  the  barges  as' 
they  lay  at  the  wharf;  .floundered  property  -of  almost  every 
.description,  and  depositing  it  ;  during  the  time  an  officer 
brought  on  board  a  large  trunk  or  box,  and  calling  to  one 
of  the  men  sa:d  ".I  wi*l  give  you  two  dollars  to  take  care  of 
this  for  me;  this  is  my  own  plunder  ;  this -was  a  stage 
passenger's  property,  and  therefore  is  mine."     He  further 
;  declares  that  he  has  no  knowledge  of  any  flag  of  truce  be 
ing  held  out  by  the  British,  nor  does  he  believe  there  was 
any. 

JAMES  WOOD. 
Sworn  to,  this  tweiity fifth  day  of  June,  1813,  before 

ELISHA  DAVIS. 

Personally  ^ameTtoxaijirMoore,  before  me  the  subscrib 
er,  one  of  the  jvisticfes  ot  Ilarford  county,  of  Maryland, 
and  made  oath  according  to  law  ;  that  tin   Monday  morn- 
Jng  the  3d  of  May,  in  consequence  of  firing  of  the  of  British 


96  BARBARITIES  OF 

into  the  town  of  Havre-de-Grace  I  fled  for  safety  (my 
husband  being  from  home)  into  the  cellar  of  the  house  in 
which  I  lived  ;  that  upon  the  firing  having  stopt,  I  came 
up,  and  meeting  an  officer  on  horseback,  and  who  was 
wounded  in  the  hand,  I  applied  to  him  for  protection,  fear 
ing  injury  from  some  of  the  men.  He  replied,  "  I  will  not 
hurt  you  nor  shall  my  men,  but  I  will  burn  your  house." 
I  answered  him  I  could  not  get  out  of  it  with  my  little 
children.  He  replied  "then  I  will  burn  your  house  with 
you  and  your  children  in  it."  They  proceeded  a  little 
iurther,  and  after  having  set  fire  to  my  neighbour  Richard 
Mansfield's  tavern  house,  a  number  of  them  returned  and 
began  to  pillage  and  plunder.  They  took  the  whole 
of  my  bed  clothes,  my  own  clothes,  and  all  my  child 
ren's,  even  to  my  youngest  child's  a  baby  not  two 
months  old,  together  with  my  cradle  furniture.  Upon 
my  soliciting  them  to  spare  me  some  few  things,  one  re 
plied  "  I  will  take  every  thing  I  can,  its  what  we  came 
for,"  and  immediately  seized  a  shawl  from  around  my 
Beck,  and  which  was  at  that  time  nearly  all  the  covering 
nay  little  baby,  whom  I  held  in  my  arms  had,  and  carried 
it  away  ;  they  more  than  once  put  fire  to  the  house,  but 
from  the  exertions  of  some  of  my  neighbours  it  was  as  often 
put  out. 

She  further  declares  that  she  never  saw  any  flag  of  truce 
held  out  by  the  British,  nor  does  she  believe  there  was 
any. 

ROXANA  MOORE. 

Sworn  to,  ibis  twenty-fifth  day  of  June,  1813,  before 

ELIJAH  DAVIS. 

Personally  came  "RJchard  Mansfield,  a  citizen  of  Havre- 
de-Grace,  before  the  subscriber,  one  of  the  justices  tff 
the  peace  for  Harford^ county,  Maryland,  and  made  oath 
according  to  law  ;  that  on  Monday  jiorning,  the  third  of 
May,  1813,  being  in  his  own  house  about  sunrise  and 
viewing  the  British  barges  as  they -came  "up  the  river, 
they  keeping  up  a  continual  firing  into  the  town  until 
they  reached  Mrs.  Sears'  wharf,  bcitag  about  two  hundred 
yards  below  this  deponent's,  when  the  firing  ceased  ;  they 
then  landed,  and  as  well  as  he  ecuM  discover,  at  the  dis- 


THE  ENEMY.  97 

tance  from  which  he  stood,  immediately  launched  a  twen 
ty-four  pounder  on  board  a  ferry  boat,  which  bilged  her, 
as  she  began  to  settle  in  the  water  as  soon  as  they  moved 
her  out,  and  in  a  few  minutes  went  down  ;  during  this 
time,  two  of  the  barges  kept  moving  slowly  up  towards 
this  deponent's,  and  as  soon  as  they  had  landed,  a  petty 
officer  ran  to  this  deponent's  ferry  boat  and  called  out— 
"  there  is  nothing  in  her  ;"  "  cast  her  off,"  was  the  reply, 
which  was  instantly  done.     This  deponent  and  his  son 
being  at  this  time  on  the  wharf,  discovered  a  British   offi 
cer  on  horseback  with  several  men  at  his  heels,  making  to 
his  house,  upon  which  he  returned   and  met  them  a  few 
yards  in  front  of  his  house*     This  officer  whose  name  this 
deponent  since  learned  was  lieutenant  Westlall,  and  who 
was  wounded  through  the  hand,  immediately  ordered  the 
house  to  be   set  on   fire.      This  deponent  remonstrated 
against  such  procedure,  urging  its  being  unprecedented 
among  civilized  nations  at  war,  to  burn  and  destroy  pri 
vate  property  :  that  when  nations  were  at  war  all  publick 
property  became  fair  objects  of  destruction,  but  that  pri 
vate  property  had  heretofore  been  respected  except  such 
as  might  unfortunately  be  injured  by  the  usual  and  cus 
tomary  mode  of  warfare,  or  that  might  be  taken  as  provis 
ions.     His  reply  was  "  by  G — d  it  should  be  burnt." — 
This  deponent  and  a  Mr.  King  who  came  with   the  offi 
cer,  solicited  for  the  moveable  property  that  was  in  the 
house,  it  being  furniture,  stating  to  him   that  that  was  the 
deponent's  only  dependence,  and  was  ull  he  had*     He  re 
plied  generally,  by  ordering  his  men  to   burn.     During 
this  conversation   the   men  were  in  the   house,  breaking 
and  destroying  every  thing  before  him.     Jlr.   King  then 
begged   the  officer  for  one  hour,  saying    that  whatever 
could  not  be  saved  in  that  time  might  go.      The  officer's 
reply   wasj    "  one  hour,  no  by  G — d,  not  five  minutes  ; 
burn  that  house."      Immediately  they  commenced,  and 
had  the  dwelling  house  on  fire  in   four  different  places  in 
a  few  minutes.     The  deponent,  with  Mr.  King,  continued 
to  solicit  for  permission  to  save  some  furniture  ;    after 
>some  time,  lieutenant,  Westfall  observed  "  you  may  save 
what  you  can,  and  what  you  can  sure  shall  not  be  dis- 
I 


S3  BARBARITIES  OF 

turbcd."  Exertions  were  then  made  by  this  deponent, 
his  son,  and  Mr.  King,  to  save  from  the  devouring  flames 
•which  proved  successful  for  a  short  time  ;  but  a  few  min 
utes  convinced  us  what  little  dependence  was  to  be  placed 
on  the  word  of  a  British  officer,  as  the  men,  aided  by  offi 
cers,  carried  oft  what  had  been  by  great  exertions  and 
considerable  risk  saved  from  the  flames.  The  enemy- 
had  been  busily  employed  breaking,  destroying,  and  car 
rying  away,  until  the  flames  got  to  such  a  height  as  to 
render  it  unsafe  to  go  within  the  walls.  They  then  com 
menced  upon  such  property  as  this  deponent  had  saved, 
tarrying  off  every  portable  article,  until  their  barges 
were  stowed  ;  ripping  up  beds,  throwing  the  feathers  to 
the  air,  cutting  up  chairs,  breaking  open  desks,  Sec.  Jkc. 
The  officer  who  made  the  attack  on  a  walnut  desk,  re 
fused  to  have  it  unlocked,  but  after  breaking  open  the  lid 
discovered  the  inner  door,  exultirfgly  exclaimed,  ah  1  1 
.am  used  to  such  things,  or,  I  am  acquainted  with  opening 
desks — or  some  expression  to  that  amount  ;  and  immedi 
ately  broke  open  and  continued  his  search  as  if  for  money. 
After  having  destroyed  and  carried  off  nearly  the  whole 
of  this  deponent's  property,  and  seeing  ihe  buildings 
burnt  down,  they  moved  down  to  Mrs,  Sears'  wharf,  and 
joined  the  other  barges.  This  deponent  was  then  advised 
Lv  some  of  his  friends  tc  apply  to  some  of  the  officers,  and 
< -ndeavour  to  get  some  of  his  property  back  ;  which  ho 
did,  but  found  such  obstacles  in  the  way  that,  after  getting 
a  looking  glass  and  some  two  or  three  articles  of  small  val 
ue,  he  gave  it  up.  But  upon  meeting  the  admiral  in  person 
he  renewed  his  appiicaii  ^n,  and  after  some  tirae  was  di 
rected  to  go  oji  board  and  get  what  he  could.  This  de 
ponent  then  s  tat  ad  the  impossibility  of  succeeding  without 
an  ofiicer  to  accompany  him. — An  officer  was  sent — but 
after  repeated  attempts  to  get  some  cf  his  property  he  was 
from  the  abuse  and  threats  of  being  run  through  with 
a  sword  from  an  officer  of  marines,  for  claiming  his 
property,  compelled  to  decline  any  further  exertions  af 
ter  Belting  another  looking  glass,  and  a  few  more  very 
trilling  articles. 

This  deponent's    observations    being    confined  to   his 
own  house  und  its  immediate  neighbourhood,  which  was 


THE  ENEMY.  9£r 

sft"  the  upper  end  of  the  village,  he  was  not  an  eye-wit 
ness  to  their  savage  like  conduct  generally.  In  one 
dwelling  house  and  grocery  store,  the  property  of  Mr. 
George  Bartoll,  which  stood  a  few  rods  below,  and  in. 
front  of  this  deponent's,  he  saw  the  enemy  plundering,  and 
breaking  every  thing  to  pieces,  and  indeed  by  setting  it 
on  fire  and  burning  it  down.  A  number  of  houses  were 
set  on  fire  that  were  not  consumed.  A  number  they  on 
ly  robbed  and  broke  the  doors  and  windows.  Among  the 
latter  was  the  church,  in  which  not  one  solitary  window 
was  left  whole.  During  the  time  this  deponent  was  on 
Mrs.  Sears'  wharf  and  on  board  the  barges  he  solicited  for 
the  prisoners,  citizens  of  the  town,  to  be  set  at  liberty — - 
naming  those  that  he  immediately  saw  and  knew.  Among 
which  was  James  Sears,  a  youth  of  about  seventeen,  and 
John  O'Neil  a  naturalized  Irishm-m — both  of  v !-(  -!i 
in  the  most  positive  manner  was  refused.  And  as  soon  as 
O'Neal's  name  was  mentioned,  the  officer  to  whom  the  ap 
plication  was  made  replied,  No — swearing  he  would  have 
O'Neal  hung  if  he  could.  O'Neal  has  dnce  been  dis 
charged  on  parole.  This  deponent  declares  he  has  no 
knowledge  of  any  flag  of  truce  being  sent  by  the  jjritish 
aor  docs  he  believe  there  was  an. 

Pv.   MANSFIELD. 
Sworn  to  this  twenty-fifih  day  of  June,  1 8  \3,  before 

ELIJAH  DAVIS. 


OUTRAGES    AT    HAMPTON. 

Extract  cf  a  letter  from  General  Taylor  to  Admiral  War 
ren,  dated  Head  Quarters,  Aorfolk,  %9th  June,  1813. 

"  I  have  heard  with  grief  and  astonishment  of  the  ex 
cesses,  both  to  property  and  persons,  committed  by  the 
land  troops,  who  took  possession  of  Hampton. — The  res 
pect  I  entertain  for  your  personal  character  leads  me  to 
make  known  these  excesses.  It  would  not  become  me  to 


*©©  BARBARITIES  OF 

suggest  what  course  of  enquiry  and  punishment  is  due  to 
the  honour  of  your  arms, — But  the  world  will  suppose  those 
acts  to  have  been  approved,  if  not  excited,  which  are  pass 
ed  over  with  impunity.  I  do  not  however  deprecate 
any  measures  which  you  may  think  necessary  or  proper 
•—but  am  prepared  for  any  species  of  warfare,  which  you 
may  be  disposed  to  prosecute.  It  is  for  the  sake  of  hu 
manity  I  enter  this  protest. 

"  We  are  in  this  part  of  the  country  merely  in  the  no- 
Ticiate  of  our  warfare.  The  character  it  will  hereafter 
assume,  whether  of  mildness  or  ferocity,  will  materially 
depend  on  the  first  operations  of  our  arms  and  on  the  per 
sonal  character  and  dispositions  of  the  respective  com 
manders.  For  myself,  I  assure  you  most  solemnly,  that 
1  neither  have  authorized,  nor  will  sanction  any  outrage 
on  humanity  or  the  laws  of  civilized  warfare.  On  the 
contrary,  I  think  it  due  no  less  to  my  personal  honour,  than 
to  that  of  my  country,  to  repress  and  punish  every  excess. 
I  hope  that  these  sentiments  will  be  reciprocated.  It  will 
depend  on  you  whether  the  evils  inseparable  from  a  state 
of  war,  shall  in  our  operations,  be  tempered  by  the  mild 
ness  of  civilized  life,  or  under  your  authority  be  aggra 
vated  by  all  the  fiendlike  passions  which  can  be  instilled  in» 
to  them.*' 


Admiral  Warren  to  General  Taylor. 

His  Britannick  Majesty's  shift  San  Doming o^  Hampton 
Roads,  Chesafieake  Bay,  June  29,  1813. 

SIR — I  have  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your  letter 
of  this  day,  stating  that  you  had  communicated  to  your 
government  the  proposal  of  an  exchange  of  prisoners,  and 
also  that  some  excesses  had  been  committed  by  the  troops 
in  the  late  affair  at  Hampton.  I  have  communicated  to 
my  friend,  sir  Sidney  Beckwith,  the  commander  of  his 
majesty's  forces  on  shore,  this  part  of  your  letter,  and  he 
will  have  the  honour  of  writing  to  you  upon  the  points  to 
which  it  alludes. 

I  beg  leave  to  assure  you  that  it  is  my  wish  to  alle 
viate  the  misfortunes  of  the  war  commenced  against  my 
country,  by  every  means  in  my  power  ;  at  the  same  time 


THE  ENEMY.  101 

I  arn  prepared  to  meet  any  result  that  may  ensue  between 
the  two  nations. 

I  have  the  honour  to  be,  &c« 
(Signed)  JOHN  B.  WARREN, 

Admiral  of  the  blue,  and  commander  in  chief. 
Brigadier  General    Taylor,    commanding    the  United 
States'  torces  at  Hampton. 

A  true  copy — JAMES  MAURICE,  Major,  acting 
assistant  Adjutant  General. 

Sir  Sidney  Beckwitli  to  General  Taylor* 

His  Majesty's  ship*  San  Domingo. 
June  29,  1813. 

SIR. — Admiral  sir  John  Warren  having  communicated 
to  me  the  contents  of  your  letter,  1  lose  no  time  in  assur 
ing  youi  that  your  wish  cannot  exceed  mine  to  carry  on 
war  with  every  attention  to  the  unfortunate  individuals,  in 
whose  immediate  vicinity  military  operations  may  take 
place.  In  this  spirit  I  shall  vie  with  you  to  the  utmost. 
At  the  same  time  I  ought  to  state  to  you,  that  the  excesses 
of  which  you  complain  at  Hampton  were  occasioned  by  a 
proceeding  of  so  extraordinary  a  nature,  that  if  I  had  not 
been  an  eye  witness,  XI  could  not  have  credited  it.  At 
the  recent  attempt  on  Craney  Island,  the  troops  in  a  barge 
sunk  by  the  fire  of  your  guns,  clung  to  the  wreck  of  the 
boat.  Several  Americans,  I  assare  you  most  solemnly, 
waded  off  from  the  island,  and  in  presence  of  all,  engaged, 
fired  upon,  and  shot  these  pj;ur  fellows.  With  a  ieeling 
natural  to  such  a  proceeding,  the  men  of  that  corps  landed 
at  Hampton. 

That  occurrences  of  that  kind  may  never  occur  again, 
and  that  the  troops  of  each  nation  may  be  guided  by 
sentiments  of  honour  and  humanity  is  the  earnest  wish  of 

yours,  Sec. 
(Signed).  SIDNEY  BECKW1TH. 

Quarter  Master  General. 

Brigadier  General  Taylor,  commanding  the  United 
States'  troops  at  Norfolk. 

A  true  co/iy — JAMES  MAURICE,  Major, 
acting  assistant  Adjutufil  General, 


102  BARBARITIES  OF 

Head  Quarters,  Norfolk,  July  1,  1813. 

SIR — It  affords  me  the  highest  satisfaction  to  receive 
your  assurance  that  you  wish  "  to  carry  en  war  with  every 
attention  to  the  unfortunate  individuals  in  whose  imme 
diate  vicinity  military  operations  may  take  place." — Vuch 
sentiments  can  alone  give  splendour  to  courage  and  con 
fer  honour  on  military  skill.  Worthless  is  the  laurel 
steeped  in  female  tears,  and  joyless  the  conquest  which 
have  inflicted  needless  woe  on  the  peaceful  and  unresist 
ing.  The  frankness  with  which  you  admit  the  excesses 
at  Hampton  is  a  guarantee  against  the  repetition. 

I  cannot  doubt,  sir,  your  conviction  that  the  scene  des 
cribed  by  you  at  Craney  island  was  really  acted.  Bait 
by  the  very  reason  it  appeared  to  you  incredible  and  in 
human,  it  should  have  been  unauthorised.  Your  own. 
perception  of  propriety  shall  decide,  if  facts  should  not 
have  been  ascertained  and  redress  demanded,  before  retal 
iation  was  resorted  to,  a  retaliation  too  extravagant  in  its 
measure,  applying  not  to  the  perpetrators  of  the  alleged' 
offence  on  their  comrades,  but  to  the  innocent  and  help 
less.  I  have  reason  to  think  that  you  are  mistaken  in 
your  impressions  of  the  conduct  of  our  troops  at  Craney 
island — that  they  waded  into  the  water,  on  the  sinking  of 
your  boat,  is  true — but  I  learn  that  it  was  for  the  pupose 
of  securing  their  conquest  and  assisting  the  perishing — 
one  person,  perhaps  more,  was  shot,  but  it  was  only  for  a 
continual  effort  to  escape,  after  repeated  offers  of  safety 
on  surrender — such  at  least  is  the  representation  made  to 
me.  If  however  your  yielding  troops  have  been  butch- 
Gfied,  it  is  due  to  the  honour  of  our-  arms  to  disclaim  and 
punish  the  enormity.  The  .fame  of  my.  country  shall  nev 
er  be  tarnished  by  such  coaduct  in  the  troops  under  my 
command.  I  have  to-day  ordered  an  enquiry  into  the 
facts,  by  a  board  of  field  officers — proper  measures  shall 
be  taken  to  punish  whatsoever  of  impropriety  may  have 
been  committed.  I  flatter  myself  you  will  perceive  in. 
these  measures  a  disposition  to  afford  no  cause  of  re> 
proach  in  any  future  conflict.  When  we  meet,  let  us  com 
bat  as  soldiers,  jealous  of  the  honour  of  our  respective 
countries,  anxious  to  surpass  eachMher  as  well  in  magna 
nimity  as  in  courage.  "jf 


THE  ENEMY.  1G<5 

Accept,  sir,  the  assurance  of  my  high  consideration  and 
respect, 

(Signed)  ROBERT  B.  TAYLOR. 

Brig.  Gen.  commanding. 
To  Sir  Sidney  Beckivith^    Q.  M.    General  Commanding  the 

land  forces  of  H.  B.  M.  Hampton  Roads* 

A    COPY, 

JOHN  MYRES,  Aid-de-Camp. 

Extract  of  a  letter  from  Brig.  General  Taylor^  to  the  Sec 
retary  of  War-)  dated) 

Norfolk,  2d  July,  1813. 

I  enclosed,  as  was  promised  yesterday,  copies  of  the 
jtters  written  to  Admiral  Warren  and  General  Beckwith. 
My  aid  who  carried  them  down  yesterday,  brought  back 
a  letter  from  Admiral  Warren,  of  which,  a  copy  is  enclos 
ed,  and  has  made  a  statement  cf  what  occurred  in  his  con 
ference  with  the  General. 

The  letter  of  the  Admiral-,  though  polite,  is  certainly 
not  responsive  to  any  thing  which  has  occurred  ;  and  the 
conversation  with  the  General,  though  equally  civil,  is 
obviously  designed  to  prevent  any  further  discussion  of 
the  subject.  From  the  report  of  prisoners  and  deserters, 
there  is  too  much  reaso*i  to  believe,  that  before  the  attack  on? 
Craney  Island,  the  cupidity  of  the  troops  had  been  excited 
by  a'  promise  of  the  pillage  of  Norfolk  ;  to  inflame  their 
resentments  after  their  failure,  and  to  keep  alive  the  hope 
of  plunder  at  Norfolk,  there  is  much  reason  to  fear  that 
our  troops  have  unmerhedly  been  charged  with  miscon 
duct  at  Craney  Island,  and  that  made  a  pretext  for  their 
excesses  and  their  conduct  at  Hampton.  I  entertain  no 
doubt  of  the  justification  of  the  honour  and  magnanimity 

of  our  men,  by  the  report  of  the  board  of  officers. 1  do 

not  m^an  that  the  subject  shall  drop,  but  when  I  communi 
cate  the  report,  I  shall  leave  the  British  commander  the 
alternative,  either  of  adopting  similar  measures  in  his  own 
army,  or  remaining  under  the  imputation  of  having  excit 
ed  their  troops  to  commit  these  excesses.  Our  troops^are 
highly  inflamed. 


104  BARBARITIES  OF 

JVbfes  for  cap.tain  Myers  in  his   interview  ivifh  Admiral 
Warren. 

A  defenceless  and  unresisting  town  has  been  given  up 
to  indiscriminate  pillage — though  civilized  war  tolerates 
this  only  as  to  fortified  places  carried  by  assault,  and  af 
ter  summons. 

Individuals  have  been  stripped  naked — a«ick  man 
stabbed  twice  in  the  hospital — avsick  man  shot  at  Pem 
broke  in  his  bed,  and  in  the  arms  of  his  wife,  long  after 
the  defeat  of  the  troops — his  wife  also  shot  at  and  wound 
ed,  a  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kirby. 

Females  have  been  not  only  assaulted  and  personally 
abused  and  struck — but  even  violated. 

If  occasion  offers,  notice  may  be  incidentally  made  of 
the  information  given  by  prisoners  and  deserters  of  the 
promise  to  plunder  at  Norfolk. 

As  to  the  imputation  on  our  troops  at  Crany  Island,  i£ 
admiral  Warren  should  mention  it,  deny  the  fact  and  state 
the  actual  conduct  of  our  troops,  in  going  into  the  water 
to  assist  their  men,  and  then  giving  them  refreshments  as 
soon  as  they  entered  the  fort.  Refer  to  the  conduct  of. all 
our  prisoners,  particularly  those  taken  from  the  boats  of 
the  Victorious. 

JNO.  MYRES,  Capt.  and  A  id-  de-  camp. 

(Copy.) 
Head-Quarters,  Morfolk,  July  2d,  1813. 

SIR — In  obedience  to  your  orders,  I  proceeded  yester 
day  with  a  flag  of  truce  to  admiral  Warren  in  Hampton 
Roads,  to  whom  I  handed  both  the  dispatch  for  himself 
and  that  for  Sir  Sydney  Beckwith.  The  admiral  receiv 
ed  me  with  civility,  and  with  many  acknowledgements  for 
the  terms  ol  your  letter.  Sir  Sydney  was  on  shore  at 
Old  Point  Comfort.  Feeling  some  difficulty  about  the 
propriety  of  delaying  on  board  for  his  arrival,  I  was  about 
to  depart,  but  admiral  Warren  expressed  a  wish  that  I 
•would  remain,  saying  that  he  would  desire,  no  doubt,  to 
give  a  reply. 

Sir  Sydney  did  not  arrive  till  8  o'clock.  He  express* 
ed  great  respect  for  the  motives  that  had  actuated  you,  sir? 
in  the  measures  which  you  were  pursuing — they  wer? 


THE  ENEMY.  105 

more  than  he  desired — it  was  sufficient,  he  said,  if  your 
own  mind  was  satisfied.  He  expressed  regret  at  the 
trouble  you  had  taken,  and  much  deference  for  your  char 
acter — with  a  resolution  to  vie  with  you  in  efforts  to  con 
fine  future  operations  within  the  bounds  of  humanity  and 
usages  of  war.  He  said,  in  allusion  to  the  pretended 
conduct  of  our  men  at  Craney  Island,  that  it  proceeded 
no  doubt,  from  a  few  of  the  more  disorderly.  I  denied  the 
charge  altogether,  as  I  had  done  in  my  previous  interview, 
when  it  was  made  the  justification  of  their  outrages  at 
Hampton,  on  the  ground  of  retaliation. 

I  found  that  it  was  not  his  intention  to  give  to  your  des 
patch  a  written  reply.  By  the  light  manner  in  which  he 
glanced  at  the  subject  of  your  investigation,  I  could  per 
ceive  that  it  was  pressed  farther  than  was  desirable  to 
him.  It  was  my  wish,  however,  to  be  able  to  report  to 
you  the  probability  of  a  like  course  of  enquiry  on  his  part, 
and  I  enumerated  the  catalogue  of  abuses  and  violence  at 
Hampton.  I  mentioned  the  pillage  of  the  town,  and  the 
wanton  destruction  of  medicine.  That  individuals  had 
been  stripped  naked.  A  sick  man  stabbed  twice  who  was 
in  the  hospital.  A  sick  man  shot  in  his  bed  at  Pembroke 
and  in  the  arms  of  his  wife,  who  was  also  shot  at  and 
wounded,  long  after  tke  defeat  of  the  troops,  a  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Kirby — and  finally  the  assault  on  females,  their  be 
ing  struck  and  personally  abused  and  even  violated. 

At  the  mention  of  the  murder  of  Kirby  and  the  wound 
given  to  his  wife,  sir  Sydney  distinctly  admitted  it.  The 
others  he  appeared  not  to  be  acquainted  with  the  partic 
ulars  of,  and  expressed  some  concern  at  it.  He  said,, 
that  he  had,  however,  on  coming  to  a  knowledge  of  their 
conduct,  immediately  ordered  the  embarkation  of  the, 
troops  that  were  concerned,  with  a  determination  that 
they  should  not  again  land,  and  that  while  he  was  unable 
to  control  a  past  event,  the  responsibility  of  a  recurrence 
should  rest  on  himself.  That  the  troops  under  his  com 
mand  were  strangers  to  him  on  his  arrival  here,  and  ap 
pealing  to  my  knowledge  of  the  nature  of  the  war  in 
Spain,  in  which  these  men  (meaning  the  French  corps)  he 
said  had  been  trained. 

Thus  far  he  thought  he  could  not  give  a  more  con  vine* 


I-C6  BARBARITIES  OF 

ing  proof  of  the  sincerity  of  his  professions  than  in  the 
withdrawal  of  these  troops,  and  that  he  had  moreover 
just  been  employed  in  finding  a  new  watering  place  on 
Back  river  in  order  to  remove  from  Hampton  and  to  quiet, 
the  minds  of  the  inhabitants. 

He  assured  me  that  in  making  such  a  pledge,  as  he  was 
doing,  it  should  not  be  lightly  regarded — that  he  would 
either  send  awuy  these  troops,  or  wait  the  arrival  of  others 
for  new  operations.  He  concluded  by  expressing  a  hopo 
that  you,  sir,  would  in  future  use  no  reserve  in  communi 
cating  any  subject  of  impropriety^  and  on  his  part  that  he 
should  certainly  do  so,  v>uh  a  due  regard  to  the  liberality 
of  your  conduct.  Ke  hoped  toe  subject  was  at  rest.  I 
took  my  leave.  I  have  the  honour  to  be,  &c. 

JOHN •  MYRES,  Cafii.. 

and  v4ld-dc- cam/it 
&rig.  Gen.  Robert  B.  7'ayhr,  Morfolk, 

Extracts  of  a  letter  from  Gen.  Taylor,  to  sir  Syd*e$ 
JRcckwl  h,  qitarter-mastcr-general,  commanding  the  land 
force  of  H,  J3.  M.  at  Hampton  Roads,  daScd  head-quar 
ters,  July  5th,  1813. 

"  I  have  now  the  honour  to  transmit  to  you  the  pro 
ceedings  of  the  board  of  officers  convened  to  enquire  into 
the  transactions  at  Craney  Island.  They  doubtless  will 
convince  you  that  in  that  affair,  the  American  troops  mcr* 
ited  no  censure  ;  that  their  coucluc:  was  distinguished  by 
humanity  and.  magnanimity  ;  and  that  the  distance  to 
which  you  were  removed  from  the  scene,  by  rendering  it 
impossible  that  .you  could  be  informed  of  the  motives  of 
their  conduct,  unhappily  led  you  to  draw  conclusions  e- 
quaily  mistaken  and  unmerited, 

You-  have  done  me  the  justice  to  declare,  that  the 
Measures  pursued  by  me,  evince  a  disposition  to  permit 
in  my  troops  no  abuses  on  humanity  or  the  laws  ot  civil 
ized  war.  As  I  cannot  doubt  the  existence  of  similar 
sentiments  with  you,  I  have  a  right  to  expect  on  your 
part,  measures  equally  decisive  and  unambiguous.  If  I 
had  deemed  it  needful  to  forbid  openly  to  my  whole  ar 
my  all  acts  of  impropriety  ;  and  to  direct  a  publick  inves 
tigation  of  charges  believed  to  be  unr  ""ited,  but  having 


THE  ENEMY.  107 

Ihe  sanction  of  your  imputation,  I  put  to  your  candour  to 
determine,  if  excesses  in  your  troops,  admitted  by  your 
self,  and  some  of  them  of  the  most  atrocious  character, 
should  pass  unnoticed.  My  conduct  and  your  declara 
tions  give  me  a  claim  to  ask  that  these  excesses  be  pun 
ished.  Your  army  vail  then  learn  the  abhorrence  you 
feel  for  such  acts,  and  be  restrained  by  the  fear  of  your  in 
dignation  from  similar  outrages.  But  if  these  admitted 
excesses  arc  passed  by,  the  impunity  of  the  p'-st  vill  be 
construed  by  your  troops  into  an  encouragement  of  future 
outrages,  and  your  own  humane  intentions  be  completely 
defer- ted  ;  neither  can  you  be  unmindful  of  the  propriety 
o  t:  kinp;  from  my  army  the  pretexts  for  impropriety  by 
a  knov.  ledge  of  effectual  restraints  on  yours. 

"  I  am  (ully  impressed  with  the  liberality  of  your  con- 
-duct  in  promising  to  remove  the  troops  who  committed 
the  outr  \jres  at  Hampton  from  the  opportunity  of  repeat 
ing  these  enormities  But,  besides  that  my  confidence 
in  the  gallantry  of  the  American  troops,  forbids  me  to  de 
sire  any  diminution  of  your  force,  such  a  measure  being 
liable  to  misconception  by  our  own  troops,  might  not  at 
tain  your  object.  The  rank  and  file  of  an  army  seldom, 
reason  very  profoundly,  and,  however  erroneously,  might 
ascribe  their  withdrawal  to  the  desertions  which  Lave  on 
every  opportunity  taken  place  in  that  corps,  and  in  their 
.unwillingness,  if  any  should  have  been  displayed,  to  fire 
on  the  American  troops.  If  this  should  unfortunately  be 
the  case,  your  force  will  be  diminished,  without  securing 
the  great  ends  of  discipline  and  humanity  for  which  you 
had  with  so  much  liberality  made  the  sacrifice.  I  am  the 
more  pressing  on  this  eubiecti  because  I  have  reason  to 
believe,  that,  even  sinse  your  assurance,  though  unques 
tionably  against  your  good  wishes,  very  improper  acts 
have  been  committed  by  the  troops  on  James  river.  The 
domestick  property  of  peaceable  private  citizens,  respect 
ed  by  all  civilized  nations,  has  been  pillaged,  and  whatfur- 
riished  no  allurement  to  cupidity,  has  been  wantonly  de 
faced  and  destroyed. 

"  If  such  acts  are  either  directed  or  sanctioned,  it  is 
Important  to  us  and  to  the  world  to  know,  what  species 
of  warfare  the  arms  of  Great  Britain  mean  to  wage.  If 


108  BARBARITIES  OF 

authorized)  it  will  be  of  little  practical  avail  to  know  that 
the  director  of  these  arms  entertains  the  most  liberal  per 
sonal  dispositions  while  these  dispositions  remain  dormant 
and  inoperative. 

"  If  I  am  troublesome  on  this  subject,  charge  it  to  my 
anxious  desire  that  nothing  may  occur  to  embitter  our 
feelings  and  those  of  our  respective  nations.  In  the  pro 
gress  of  the  war,  charges  of  inhumanity  have  unhappily 
been  frequent  and  reciprocal.  I  am  not  indifferent  to  the 
infamy,  which  such  a  charge  fixes  on  the  officer  who  ei 
ther  encourages  or  permits  it.  I  derive  the  highest  sat 
isfaction  from  the  assurances  you  have  given  of  similar 
sentiments.  We  have,  sir,  become  enemies  by  the  sa 
cred  obligations  we  owe  our  respective  countries.  But 
on  the  great  and  expanded  subject  of  human  happiness, 
we  should  be  friends  by  the  sympathy  of  our  feelings.— 
Let  us  then  cordially  unite,  and  exercising  effectually  the 
powers  with  which  our  governments  have  invested  us, 
give  to  our  warfare  a  character  of  magnanimity,  confer 
ring  equal  honour  on  ourselves  and  on  our  country. 

Extract  from  general  orders. 
Afit.ddjt.  Gen.'s  officcy  Norfolk,  July  7,  1813. 

The  general  commanding,  has  deemed  it  proper  to  re 
monstrate  against  the  excesses  committed  by  the  British 
troops,  who  took  possession  of  Hampton,  It  has  been 
attempted  to  justify  or  palliate  these  excesses,  on  the 
ground  of  inhumanity  in  some  of  the  troops  at  Craney 
Island,  who  are  changed  with  having  waded  into  the  river 
and  shot  at  the  unresisting  and  yielding  fee,  who  clung 
to  the  wreck  of  a  boat,  which  had  been  sunk  by  the  fire 
of  our  guns.  Humanity  and  mercy  are  inseparable  from, 
true  courage,  and  the  general  knows  too  well  the  char 
acter  of  the  troops  under  his  command,  to  doubt  their 
magnanimity  towards  an  unresisting  foe.  It  is  equally 
due  to  the  honour  of  the  troops  engaged,  and  to  the 
hitherto  unquestioned  fame  cf  the  American  arms,  for 
honour  and  clemency,  that  the  imputation  should  be  in 
vestigated. 

If  the  charge  be  well  founded,  the  army  mus-t  be  puri 
fied  by  punishment  for  this  abomination*  If,  as  the  com- 


THE  ENEMY.  109 

auander  hope  sand  Believes,  the  conduct  of  our  troops  has 
been  misconstrued,  tne  world  should  have  an  authentic^ 
record  to  repel  the  imputation. 

He  therefore  directs  that  a  board  of  officers,  to  consist 
of  Col.  Freeman,  president,  Lt.  Cols  Boykin,  Mason  and 
Head,  do  convene,  the  day  after  to-morrow,  at  a  place  to 
•be  appointed  by  the  president,  for  ihe  purpose  of  investi 
gating  these  charges  and  repoit  accordingly. 

JAMES  MAURICE,  Major, 
.Acting  assistant  adjutant  general* 

BEPORT    OF    THE    BOARD. 

The  evidence  having  been  gone  through,  the  board,  af 
ter  deliberate  and  mature  consideration,  do  pronounce  the 
following  opinion  : — 

That  it  appears  from  the  testimony  adduced,  that  on 
the  22d  of  last  month,  in  the  action  at  Craney  Island,  two 
of  the  enemy's  boats  in  front  of  their  line  were  sunk,  by 
the  fire  of  our  batteries  ;  the  soldiers  and  sailors  who  were 
in  those  boats  were  consequently  afloat  and  in  danger  of 
drowning,  and  being  in  front  of  the  boats  which  were  un 
injured  ;  to  disable  these,  our  guns  were  necessarily  fired 
in  a  direction  of  the  men  in  the  water,  but  with  no  inten 
tion  whatever  to  do  them  farther  harm ;  but  on  the  contra 
ry,  orders  were  given  to  prevent  this  by  ceasing  to  fire  grape 
and  only  to  fire  round  shot;  it  also  is  substantiated  that 
one  of  the  enemy  who  had  apparently  surrendered,  ad 
vanced  towards  the  shore,  about  one  hundred  yards,  when 
he  suddenly  turned  to  his  right,  and  endeavoured  to  make 
his  escape  to  a  body  of  the  enemy  who  had  landed  above 
the  Island  and  who  were  then  in  view  ;  then  and  not  till 
then  was  he  firrcl  upon  to  bring  him  back,  which  had  the 
desired  effect,  and  he  was  taken  unhurt  to  the  Island. 

It  farther  appears  that  the  troops  on  the  island  exerted 
themselves,  in  acts  of  hospitality  and'kindness  to  the  un 
resisting  and  yielding  foe. 

Therefore  the  board  do,  with  great  satisfaction,  declare 
as  their  unbiassed  opinion,  that  the  charge  alledged  a- 
gainst  the  troops  is  unsupported  ;  and  that  the  charac 
ter  of  the  American  soldiery  for  humanity  and  magnun- 


i  10  BARBARITIES  OF 

mity  has  not  been  committed  ;  but  1m  the  contrary  eon- 
firmed. 

(Signed)  C,  FREEMAN, 

Col.  artillery,  president* 

A.  T.  MASON, 

J*(.  Col*  commanding  5th  regt.  infantry. 
F.  M.  BOYKIN, 

Lt.  Col.  commanding  3d  regt*  infantry. 
T.  READ,Jun. 
JLt.  commanding  artillery* 
J.  BARBER,  reconler. 
A  true  and  correct  copy. 

J.  MAURICE,  major. 
Acting  assiiif-ant  adjutant  general. 

Copy  of  a  note  from  sir  Sydney  Beckivith  to  ^general  Tay,*> 

hr,  dated  H.  M.  ship  San  Domingo,  6th  July,  18 IS. 
Quarter-master-gcneral  sir  Sydney  Beckwuh  begs  leave 
to  return  his  best  acknowledgements  >to  general  Taylor  for 
his  polite  communication,  and  to  repeat  his  earnest  wish 
that  military  operations  should  be  carried  on  with  all  the 
liberality  and  humanity  which  becomes  the  respective  na 
tions.  Any  infringement  of  the  established  usages  of  war 
will  instantly  be  noticed  and  pu.nisjied. 

Extract  of  a  letter  -from  Brig.  Gen   Taylor,  to  the  sccreta* 

ri{  of  war,  dated  Norfolk,  1th  July,  1813. 
"  The  board  of  officers  convened  to  examine  the  charge 
brought  against  our  troops,  in  the  affair  at  Craney  .Island, 
have  made  such  a  report  as  an  American  could  desire.-?- 
)  enclosed  a  copy  yesterday  to  the  British  commander, 
•with  a  letter  of  which  a  copy. is  enclosed.  The  bearer  of 
rny  despatch  was  met  by  a  flag,  the  officer  of  which  re 
ceived  the  despatch,  and  a  few  hours  after  returned  with 
sin  answer,  of  which  a  copy  also  is  enclosed.  I  fear,  from 
the  generality  of  its  terms,  that  little  amelioration  of  the 
system  hiiherto  practised  is  to  be  expected  ;  but  some 
thing  is  gained  by  placing  the  enemy  so  decidedly  in  the 
W  onp;,  that  the  world  cannot  doubt  to  whom  is  to  be  as 
cribed  any  excesses  which  hereafter  may  be  committed  on 
cither  side." 


THE  ENEMY.  1 

JKxtractfrom  an  Official  Later,  addressed  by  Maj.  Crutch- 
Jield  to  GOT;.  Barbour,  dated 

York  County,  Half- Way  House, 

June  20fA,  1813. 

"  To  give  you,  si-,  an  idea  of  the  savage  like  disposition 
<ff  the  enemy,  on  their  getting  possession  of  the  neigh 
bourhood,  would  be  but  a  vain  attempt.  Although  sir  Sid 
ney  Beck  with  assured  me  that  no  uneasiness  might  be  felt 
in  relation  to  the  unfortunate  Americans,  the  fact  is,  that 
on  yesterday  ihere  were  several  dead  bodies  lying  un- 
buried,  and  the  wounded  not  even  assisted  into  town*  al 
though  observed  to  be  crawling  towards  a  cold  and  inhos 
pitable  protection.  The  unfortunate  females  of  Hampton 
who  could  not  leave  the  town,  were  suffered  to  be  abused 
in  the  most  shamefuhmanner,  not  only  by  the  venal  savage 
foe,  but  the  unfortunate  and  infatuated  blacks  who  were  en 
couraged  by  them  in  their  excesses.  They  pillaged,  and 
encouraged  every  act  of  murder  and  rapine — killing  a  poor 
man  by  the  name  of  Kirby,  who  had  been  lying  on  his  bed 
ftt  the  point  of  death  for  more  than  six  weeks,  shooting  his 
•wife  in  the  hip  at  the  same  time,  and  killing  his  faithful 
dog  while  lying  under  his  feet.  The  murdered  Kirby  was 
lying,  last  night,. weltering  in  his  bed." 

Extract  of  a  letter  from  Czfit.  Cooficr  of  the  Cat-airy,  to 
Charles  A".  Mallory^  Esq.  Lieutenant  Go-vernour  of  Vir- 
ginia. 

"  I  was  yesterday  in  Hampton  with  my  troops,  that  place 
kaving  been  evacuated  in  the  morning  by  the  British— 
*^*  My  blood  ran  cold  at  what  I  caw  and  heard— -^YbQ  few 
distressed  inhabitants  vanning  up  in  every  direction  to  con 
gratulate  us  ;  tears:  were  shedding  in  every  corner — Jie  in 
famous  scoundrels,  nvjii :->U; rs,  destroyed  every  'Jung  but 
the  houses,  and,  (my  pen  is  almost  unwilling  to  describe 
it,)  the  Women  were  ravished  by  the  abandoned  Ruffians  .' 
Great.  God  !  my  dear  friend,  can  you  figure  to  yourselves 
our  Hampton  females  seized  and  treated  with  violence  by 
those  monsters,  and  not  a  solitary  American  arm  present 
to  avenge  their  wrongs  ?  But  enough— I  can  no  more  of 
this, 


113  BARBARITIES  OF 

"  They  have  received  a  reinforcement  of  20CO — -in  all 
6000  men,  and  Norfolk  or  Richmond  is  their  immediate 
aim.  Protect  yourselves  from  such  scenes  as  we  have 
witnessed.  They  retired  in  great  confusion,  leaving  be 
hind  3000  wt.  beef,  muskets,  ammunition,  canteens,  &.c. 
&c.  and  some  of  their  men,  whom  we  took.  It  is  sup; 
ed  that  they  apprehended  an  immediate  attack  from  6000 
of  our  men  which  caused  them  to  retreat  so  precipitate 
ly.  My  friend,  rest  assured  of  one  thing  ;  that  they  can- 
not  conquer  Americans — -they  cannot  stand  them— if  we 
had  1200  men,  we  should  have  killed  or  taken  the  greater 
part  of  them." 

from  the   same  to  the  same,  dated  jfrmsfcad's   Mitt^  near 

Hampton,  My  lo/A,  1813. 
DEAR  FRIEND — 

"  Your  favour  of  the  7th  has  just  been  received  through 
the  politness  of  Major  Crutchfield,  who  had  it  forward-- 
ed  to  me  at  this  place.  I  am  surprised  to  hear  that  you 
have  among  you  a  man  who  would  endeavour  to  apologise 
for  the  unprecedentad  villainy  and  brutal  conduct  of  ihe- 
enemy  in  Hampton.  Be  assured  of  one  fact,  that  thaf- 
which  Unformed  you  of  in  my  last)  was  strickly  true. 

"  You  request  me  to  make  known  to  you  a  few  of  the 
distressing  particulars  in  a  way  which  will  force  conviction 
upon  the  minds  of  the  incredulous.  I  will  attend  to  it,  my 
friend,  that  you  may  be  enabled  to  confound  such  with 
positive  proofs.  At  present  you  must  content  yourself  with 
the  following,  and  believe  it  as  religiously  as  any  fact  be 
yond  denial. 

Mrs.  Turnbull  was  pursued  up  to  her  waist  in  the 
water,  and  dragged  on  shore  by  10  or  12  of  these  ruffians, 
who  satiated  their  brutal  desires  upon  her  after  pulling 
off  her  clothes,  stockings,  shoes,  &c.  this  was  seen  by 
your  nephew  Keith,  and  many  others.  Another  case — a 
married  woman,  her  name  unknown  to  me,  with  her  in 
fant  child  in  her  arms,  (the,. child  forcibly  dragged  from 
her)  shared  the  same  fate.  Two  young  women,  well 
L»^;.r.  U;  nuny,  whose  names  will  not  be  revealed  at  tins 


THE  ENEMY.  113 

time  suffered  in  like  manner.  *Dr.  Colton,  Parson  Hal- 
son  and  Mrs.  Hopkins  have  informed  me  of  thobe  partic 
ulars.  Another,  in  the  presence  of  old  Mr  Hope  had  her 
gown,  Sec.  Sec.  cut  off  with  a  sword  and  violence  offered 
in  his  presence,. which  he  endeavoured  to  prevent,  but  had 
to  quit  the  room  leaving  the  unfortunate  victim  in  their 
possession,  who  no  doubt  was  abused  in  the  same  way.™— 
fOld*Mr.  Hope  himself  was  stripped  naked,  pricked  with 
a  bayonet  in  the  arm  and  slapt  in  the  face  ;  and  were  I 
to  mention  a  hundred  cases  in  addition  to  the  above,  I 
do  not  know  that  I  should  exaggerate." 

Extract  of  a  refiort  made  to  major  Crutchficli^  bij   Thomas 
Griffin  and  Robert  Lively,  Esqrs.  dated 

YORK,  4th  July,  1813. 

<c  Upon  reaching  Hampton,  a  scene  of  desolation  and 
destruction  presented  itself. — The  few  inhabitants  we 
found  in  town,  seemed  not  yet  to  have  recovered  from 
their  alarm—dismay  and  consternation  sat  on  every 
countenance— reports  had  reached  us  of  the  violence  and 
uncontrouled  fury  of  the  enemy,  after  they  had  obtained 
possession  of  the  place — their  conduct  in  some  cases  be 
ing  represented  such  as  would  have  disgraced  the  days 
of  Vandalism— our  feelings  were  much  excited,  and  we 
deemed  it  our  duty  to  pursue  the  enquiry  as  far  as  prac 
ticable,  and  are  sorry  to  say,  that  from  all  the  information 
we  could  procure,  from  sources  too  respectable  to  per 
mit  us  to  doubt,  we  ara  compelled  to  believe  that  acts 
of  riolence  have  been  perpetrated,  which  have  disgraced 
the  age  in  which  we  live.  The  sex,  hitheito  guarded  by 
the  soldier's  honour,  escaped  not  the  rude  assaults  of  supe- 
liour  force,  nor  coukl  disease  disarm  the  foe  of  his  ferocity, 

*  The  former  of  these  gsntlemen  acted  as  surgeon  to  the  detach 
ment  lately  stationed  at  Hampton,  and  is  a  young  gentleman  of  the 
ferst  respectability — the  latter  is  president  of  the  academy  at  that 
place,  and  stands  deservedly  high  in  publick  estimation.  Mrs,  Hopkins 
also,  is  a  lady  of  very  high  respectability,  and  of  the  most  unquestiona 
ble  veracity. 

•fr  This  worthy  old  gentleman  is  bowing  be.ieath  the  pressure  of  age 
being  near  70  or  older ;  has  a  tmmerjuj  fair*:ly,  uaost  of  them  sons,  nQ# 
le  the  se;vicc  of  their  country. 


' 

114  BARBARITIES  OF 

The  apology  that  these  atrocities  were  committed  by  the 
French  soldiers  attached  to  the  British  forces,  now  in 
our  waters,  appeared  to  us  no  justification  of  those  who 
employed  them,  believing,  as  we  do,  that  an  officer  is,  or 
should  be,  ever  responsible  for  the  conduct  of  the  troops 
under  his  command," 

To  the  Editor  cf  the  Enquirer. 

SIR — Having  just  returned  from  Hampton,  where  I 
made  myself  acquainted  with  ail  the  particulars  of  Brit 
ish  outrage,  whilst  that  place  was  in  their  possession,  I 
am  requested  by  many  persons  to  communicate  through 
you?  to  the  publick,  the  information  I  have  given  them.  I 
do  this  with  no  hope  or  expectation  of  satisfying  those 
•who  require  other  testimony  than  Major  Crutchfield's  or 
Captain  Cooper's.  I  too  well  know  there  are  those  among 
us,  who  will  still  doubt  or  pretend  to  doubt.  But  as  I  be* 
lieve  this  class  to  be  few  in  number,  and  insignificant  in  the 
publick  estimation  ;  as  I  firmly  believe  that  a  large  major 
ity  of  all  political  persuations,  are  open  to  conviction  and 
feelingly  alive  to  their  country's  wrongs  ;  I  cannot  with 
hold  ficm  them  the  facts,  whose  simple  recital  will,  ac 
cording  to  their  different  temperament,  infiame  them  with, 
rage  or  fill  them  with  horrour. 

JVIy  name  you  are  at  liberty  to  give  to  the  publick,  or- 
only  to  those  who  inquire  for  it,  as  you  think  proper.  I 
have  reason  to  believe,  that  those  who  know  me,  whether 
Federal  or  Republican,  will  know  and  acknowledge  that 
I  am  incapable  of  publishing  a  falsehood — and  I  aver, 
that  every  statement  inconsistent  with  the  following,  no 
matter  en  whose  authority  it  is  made — is  untrue — in  proof 
of  which  I  solemnly  undertake  before  the  world  to  estab- 
lish  every  fact  contained  in  it,  provided  any  gentleman  will: 
bign  his  name  to  a  denial  of  either  of  them. 

'l  went  to  Hampton  with  a  determination  of  enquiring 
minutely  into  the  truth  of  reports,  which  1  Jio/icd,  for  the 
honour  of  a  soldier's  profession  and  of  human  nature,  to 
have  found  exaggerated.  In  the  investigation  I  resolved 
to  depend  on  the  second-hand  relation  of  no  one,  where  I 
coxild  mount  to  the  original  source  of  evidence — but  since 


THE  ENEMY.  115 

in  some  cases  this  was  impracticable,  I  feel  it  a  duty  care 
fully  to  distinguish  the  one  class  from  the  other. 

That  the  town  and  country  adjacent  was  given  up  to 
the  indiscriminate  plunder  of  a  licentious  soldiery,  except 
perhaps  the  house  where  the  head-quarters  were  fixed,  is 
an  undeniable  truth.  Every  article  of  valuable  property 
was  taken  from  it.  In  many  houses  not  even  a  knife,  a 
fork  or  plate  was  left.  British  Officers  were  seen  by  Dr. 
Colton  in  the  act  of  plundering  a  Mr.  Jones's  store.  His 
house;  although  he  remained  in  town,  was  rifled,  and  his 
medicine  thrown  into  the  publick  street  just  opposite  where 
many  officers  took  up  their  quarters,  who  must  have  been 
eye  witnesses  of  the  scene.  The  church  was  pillaged  and 
the  plate  belonging  to  it  taken  away,  although  inscribed, 
with  the  donor's,  name.  The  wind  mills  in  the  neighbour 
hood  were  stript  of  their  sails.  The  closets,  prirate 
drawers  and  trunks  of  the  inhabitants  were  broken  open^ 
and  scarcely  any  thing  seemed  to  be  too  trifling  an  ob 
ject  to  excite  the  cupidity  of  these  robbers.  Several 
gentlemen  informed  me,  that  much  of  their  plunder  was 
brought  into  the  back  yard  of  Mrs.  West  wood's  house 
where  Sir  Sidney  Beck  with  and  admiral  Cockburn  re 
sided.  But  I  had  no  opportunity  of  seeing  this  lady,  who 
it  was  said  would  testily  to  the  fact.  In  short,  Hampton 
exhibits  a  dreary  and  desolate  appearance  which  no 
•American  can  witness  unmoved.  Dr.  Wardlaw  and  Mr. 
John  G.  Smith,  of  this  city,  visited  it  in  company  with 
me  ;  and  their  indignation  was  equal.  They,  and  every 
one,  who  saw  and  heard  what  I  have  stated,  united  in  ex 
ecrating  the  monsters  who  perpetrated  those  enormities  -9 
and  political  distinction,  if  any  existed,  were  lost  in  the  no 
bler  feelings  of  pity  for  the  sufferers,  and  a  generous  ar 
dour  to  avenge  their  wrongs. 

Here  it  may  be  necessary  to  notice  a  publication  I 
have  this  moment  read  in  the  Alexandria  Gazette  of  the 
12 th.,  where,  among  other  things,  it  is  said  on  the  author 
ity  of  a  "  Gentleman  who  was  in  Hampton  the  day  after 
the  evacuation  by  the  enemy,"  that  it  was  believed  there 
that  nearly  all  the  plundering  was  committed  by  the  ne 
groes  ;  and  that  he  saw  many  "  articles  brought  to  the 
Magistrates  which  had  been  secreted  in  negro  houses.**—* 


116  BARBARITIES  OF 

That  some  plundering  may  have  been  committed  by  the 
negroes  who  (as  I  was  told)  were  embodied  and  paraded 
through  the  streets,  is  probable  enough — that  the  expres 
sion  of  such  an  opinion  may  have  been  heard  in  Hamp 
ton,  is  likewise  probable — but  I  do  utterly  deny,  that  it  is 
believed  there,  by  any  person  worthy  of  credit,  that 
"  nearly  all  the  plundering  was  committed  by  them."  Let 
the  gentleman,  then,  who  gives  this  account  state  from 
whom  he  derived  his  information.  Let  him  give  the 
names  of  the  Magistrates  who  received  the  plunder  thus 
found,  and  his  own  ;  and  let  him  declare  what  were  the 
main  articles  he  saw  brought  in.  I  will  not  directly  haz 
ard  the  assertion,  but  I  am  very  much  inclined  to  believe 
there  were  no  magistrates  in  the  town  at  the  time  spoken 
of,  unless  Parson  Holson,  Dr.  Colton,  or  Capt.  Wills  ar& 
magistrates  ;  and  with  all  these  gentlemen  I  conversed, 
and  heard  not  a  whisper  countenancing  the  statement  in. 
the  Alexandria  paper.  How  it  is  known  that  the  negroes 
had  the  address,  first  to  impose  on  the  British  command 
ers,  and  then  on  the  American  troops,  which  "  induced 
them  to  retreat  to  York,"  and  leave  Hampton  to  be  plun 
dered  by  these  artful  rogues,  that  gentleman  is  left  to  say 
—but  that  the  American  troops  did  not  retire  to  York,  in 
consequence  of  such  information,  is  undoubtedly  true. 
Nor  is  it  less  true  that  Captain  Cooper's  troops  arrived  in 
time  to  prevent  any  plundering  of  the  least  consequence, 
after  the  evacuation — and  in  time  to  prevent — what  many- 
gentlemen  there  believed  to  have  been  a  plan  concerted 
between  the  black  and  white  allies— the  firing  of  the  town. 

That  "  admiral  Warren  expressed  his  regret  that  the 
inhabitants  of  Hampton  had  not  all  remained,  as  in  that 
case  no  plundering  would  have  happened,"  is  possible 
enough  $  since  it  admits  the  fact  of  the  plundering,  and  is 
conformable  with  the  answer  given  to  Captain  Wills, 
who  complained  to  Cockburn  and  Beckwith  of  the  de 
struction  of  his  private  property.  "  Why  did  you  quit 
your  house  ?"  said  these  honourable  men.  "  I  remained  in 
my  house,"  answered  Doctor  Colton  "and  have  found  no 
better  treatment." 

That  Kirby,  who  for  seven  weeks  or  more  had  been 
confined  to  hi»  bed,  and  whose  death  the  suvages  onty  a 


THE  ENEMY.  I  If 

little  hastened,  was  shot  in  the  arras  of  his  wife,  is  not  de 
nied.  Those  who1  wish  for  farther  .confirmation,  may  go 
and  take  him,  from  his  grave,  and  weep,  if  they  can  feel 
for  an  American  citizen,  over  his  mangled  body.  They 
may  go  to  his  wounded  wife,  and  hear  her  heart  rending 
tale,  and  then  they  may  turn  to  the  account.of  the  gentle 
man  and  derive  consolation  from  the  excuse  (which  f 
never  heard)  "  that  it  was  done  iu  revenge  for  the  refusal 
of  the  militia  to  give  quarters  to  some  Frenchmen  who 
were  on  board  a  barge  that  was  sunk  by  our  troops  who 
Continued  to  fire  on  the  almost  drowning  men,  when  mak 
ing  for  the  shore/'  This  vile  slander  on  our,  troops  wilV 
1  have  no  doubt,  be  met  in  the  proper  manner  by  the  gal 
lant  officer  who  commands  them  at  Norfolk.  But  the 
worst  is  to  come- 

I  conversed  with  a  lady,  whose  name  is  mentioned  in, 
captain  Cooper's  letter,  in  company  with  parson  Holson, 
doctor  Colton  and  capt.  Wills,  Her  story  was  too  shock 
ing  in  its  details  to  meet  the  publick  eye.  When  I  had 
convinced  her  of  the  object  I  had  ir.  vie «'.  in  visiting  her 
—tli at  it  was  dictated  by  no  impertinent  curiosity,  but  a>. 
desire  to  know  the  whole  truth-— to  enable  me  on  the  one 
hand  to  do  justice  even  to  an  enemy  ;  or  on  the  other, 
to  electrify  my  countrymen  with  the  recital  of  her  suffer- 
ings — she  discoyere4  every  thing  which  her  convulsive 
struggles,  between  shame  and  a  desire  to  £xpos«  her.  pi'U- 
tal  assailants,  would  permit.  This  woman  was  seized* 
by  five  or  six  ruffians — some  of  them  dressed  in  red,  and 
slieaking-  correctly  the  English  language — and.stri/ified' 
naked.  Her  cries  and -her  prayers  were  disregarded,  and 
her  body  became  the  subject  of  the  most  abominable  in 
decencies. — She  at  one  time  made  her  esscape,  and  run  in 
to  a  creek  hard  by,  followed  by  a  young  .daughter,  ;  when 
she  was  dragged  by  the  monsters  in  human  shape.)  to  ex 
perience  new  and  aggravated  sufferings.  In  this  situation 
she  was  kept  the  whole  night,  whilst  her  screams  were 
heard  at  intervals  by  some  of  the  Americans  in  town,  who 
could  only  clasp  their  hands  in  hopeless  agony. 

Virginians;  Americans!  Friend  or  Enemy  of  the  Ad 
ministration,  or  of  the  War  !  Go,  as  I  have  done  to  this 
woman's  house,  and  hear  and  sec  her*  See  too  her  young 


118  THE  ENEMY. 

daughter  on  the  bed  of  sickness,  in  consequence  of  the 
abuses  of  thac  night  1  and  your  heart,  if  it  be  made  of 
"  penetrable  stuff,"  will  throb  with  indignation  and  a  thirst 
for  revenge,  and  your  hand  inductively  grasp  the  weapon 
for  inflicting  it.  • 

A  Mrs.  Briggs  related  to  us,  thit  a  woman  who  had 
coAe  to  Hampton  to  visit  her  husband  who  was  in  the  mi 
litia,  was  forcibly  torn  from  her  side  by  four  soldiers  dress 
ed  in  green,  and  with  her  young  child,  which  one  of  them 
snatched  from  her  arms,  borne  to  the  hospital,  in  spite  of 
her  screams.  They  had  previously  robbed  them  of  their 
rings,  and  attempted  to  tear  open  their  boson^s.  A  Mrs. 
Hopkins,  who  was  not  in  town  when  I  was  there,  obtained 
the  assistance  of  an  officer,  and  rescued  the  woman  from, 
her  ravishers  ;  but  not  until  one  of  them  had  gratified  hi* 
abominable  desires  I 

I  was  told  by  the  gentleimn  who  accompanied  ma,'  that 
Mrs.  Hopkins  confirmed  this  statement,  and  would  swear 
to  at  least  to  two  other  cases  of  a  similar  kind,  without 
however  giving  up  the  nsme-s  of  the  young ••  a?i3  resfie QtdbU 
\vomen  who  suffered* 

Doctor  Cotton  and  captain  Wills,  assisted  by  an  officer, 
rescued  another  lady  from  the  greatest  of  all  calamities. 

Did  Mr.  Hope,  aged,  as  he  told  major  Crutchfield  (in 
my  presence)  64  or  65  yearsj.wos.  seiisd  by;  these  wretch- 
HaMO^stnp-petf  of  alt  his  clothing,  even  of  his  shoes  and  his 
shirt,  A  bayonet  was  run  a  little  way  into  his  arm  be 
hind,  as  if  in  cruel  sport  ;  while  several  were  held  to  his 
breast.  In  this  situation  he  was  kept  for  a  considerable 
time,  and  would  probably  have  been  another  victim  to  their 
rage,  if  their  attention  had  not  been  diverted'  to*  a  woman, 
who  had  sought  refuge  in  hi*  house.  They  followed 
her  into  the  kitchen, "whither  she  ran  for  safety.  Mr. 
Hope  made  off  amidst  her  agonizing  screams,  and,  when 
he  returned  to  his  house,  ha  MTUS  told  by  his  domesdck* 
that  their  horrid  purpose  was  accomplished.  This  I  had 
from  him. 

How  far  this  violation  extended  will  never  be  known. 
Women  will  never  publish  what  they  consider  their  own 
shame — And  the  men  in  town  were  carefully  watched  and 
guarded.  Bat  enough  is  known  to  induce  the  belief  of 


THE  ENEMY,  '119 

the  existence  of  many  other  cases,  and  enough  to  fire  ev 
ery  manly  bosom  with  the  irrepressible  desire  of  revenge. 

lam  not  disposed  to  tire  the  publick  patience,  or  I 
could  tell  of  enormities  little  inferior  to  the  above.  But 
the  enemy  are  convicted  of  robbery,  rape  and  murder — 
and  it  is  unnecessary  to  add  to  the  catalogue  of  their 
crimes. 

Men  of  Virginia  !  will  you  permit  all  this  ?  Fathers, 
and  brothers,  and  husbands,  will  you  fold  your  arms  in 
apathy,  and  only  cnrse  your  despoilers  ?  No,  you  will  fly 
•with  generous  emulation  to  the  unfurled  standard  of  your 
country  ;  you  will  imitate  the  example  of  those  generous 
spirits,  who  are  even  now  in  crowds  tendering  their  servi 
ces  to  the  commander  in  chief;  who  are  pouring  from, 
their  native  mountains  ;  and  soliciting  to  be  led  against 
the  enemy  whereever  he  dares  show  his  face.  You  will 
.prove  yourselves  worthy  of  the  immortal  honour,  that  the 
enemy  has  conferred  upon  you  i  selecting  you  as  the  ob 
ject  of  his  vengeance.— -You  w<"  icirlect  for  a  time  all  civil 
pursuits  and  dev-te  you rselves  k  die  yrt,  a  knowledge  of 
which  the  enemy  has  made  necessary  .—-You  will  learn  to 
.  command  ;  to  obey  ;  and  .with  **  Hampton*'  as  your  watch 
word — to  conquer. 

P. 

Believed,  upon  good  authority,  to  be  colonel  Richard  E. 
.Parker,  of  Westmoreland  county,  Virginia. 

YORK,  4th  JULY,  1813. 

SIT? — Anxioufto  efiect,  as  early  as  possible,  the*  ob 
jects  of  the  fUg  entrusted  to  us  by  you  on  the  ist  inst. 
we  proceeded  immediately  after  receiving  your  dispatches 
for  admiral  Warren  and  general  Taylor,  to  Hampton.  On 
our  arrival  at  the  latter  place,  some  difv:ulty  arose  in 
procuring  a  vessel  to  convey  us  to  the  British  fleet;  and 
after  some  delay,  we  were  compelled  to  emhurk-in  a  small, 
open,  four  oared  boat,  the  only  one,  it  seemed,  which  the 
fury  of  the  enemy  had  k*ft  capable  ot  flowing. — — We 
proceeded  to  the  fleet  of  the  enemy  with  the  ut 
most  despatch  which  our  little  skiff,  and  the  excessive 
heat  of  the  day  would  permit  ;  and  when  distant  from 


120  BARBARITIES  OF 

the  admiral's  ship  about  half  a  mile,  were  met  and  frai!- 
ed  by  a  barge  of  the  enemy,  the  officer  of  which  was  in 
formed  we  had  despatches  for  admiral  Warren.  We 
were  invited  into  the  barge,  which  invitation  we  accepted, 
as  well  to  relieve  ourselves  from  confinement  on  board 
our  little  vessel  ;  to  lighten  as  much  as  possible  the  bur 
then  of  our  oarsmen  ;  and  to  proceed  with  as  much  expe 
dition  as  was  practicable  to  obtain  the  objects  of  our  mis 
sion.  On  our  arrival  'at  tho  admiral's-ship  (San  Domingo) 
we  were  directed  toproceedto  the  'Sceptre,' a  line  of  battle 
ship,  on  which  we  were  informed  admiral  Cockburn  had 
recently  hoisted  his  flag.  Arriving  alongside  of  this  ship, 
we  were  desired  by  the  officer  of  the  barge  to  ascend  the 
ship. 

Upon  our  reaching  the  deck,  we  found  a  large  assem 
blage  of  officers— certainly  a  greater  number  than  could 
be  necessarily  attached  to  a  single  ship.  In  the  space  of 
ten  minutes  the  two  admirals,  Warren  and  Cockburn,  ap 
proached — to  the  former  we  delivered  your  dispatches, 
who  upon  perusal,  evinced  embarrassment  ;  and  after  a 
short  pause,  said,  that  the  principal  object  of  the  flag  ap 
peared  to  be,  to  procure  supplies?  for  your  hospital.  He 
was  answered  in  the  affirmative.  Could  not  these  sup 
plies  have  been  as  easily  and  early  procured  from  Rich 
mond  as  from  Norfolk  ?  We  thought  not.  The  admiral 
then  said  he  would  reflect  upon  the  subject,  and  return  us 
an  answer  soon,  and  retired  with  admiral  Cockburn  to  the 
cabin  of  the  ship.  A  period  of  about  15  minutes  then  e- 
Japsed,  when  admiral  Cockburn,  advanced  and  addressing 
major  Griffin,  informed  him  that  the  admiral  would  see 
hinrin  the  cabin.  Upon  major  Griffin's  reaching  the  cab 
in,  the  two  admirals  only  with  him,  Admiral  Warren  a- 
gain  repeated  the  opinion,  that  the  hospilal  supplies  could 
be  as  exptditiously  procured  from  Richmond  as  from 
Norfolk — saying  it  was  contrary  to  their  regulations  to 
permit  even  a  flag  to  go  to  Norfolk — that  it  was  their  in 
tention  to  land  Mr.  King,  who  went  with  the  flag,  at  Sea- 
well's  Point,  and  jointly  with  admiral  Cockburn  expressed 
an  unwillingness  to  perm  it  the  flag  to  proceed.— —They 
•were  answered*  that  if  the  flug  was  permitted  to  pro 
ceed,  the  supplies  could  be  procured  sooner  than  if  the 


THE  ENEMY.  121 

ihg  was  compelled  to  return — certainly  in  the  course  of 
the  following  day;  that  if  compelled  to  resort  to  Rich 
mond,  three  days,  probably  more,  would  pass  before  the 
stores  could  reach  Hampton.;  that  our  wounded  and  sick 
were  suffering  for  medicine  and  necessaries  ;  that  all  the 
medicine,  private  as  well  as  publick  property,  had  been 
vantonly  destroyed  by  the  troops  who  lately  captured 
Hampton,  and  that  the  supplies  absolutely  required  for 
the  use  of  the  hospital  could  not  be  procured  in  Hamp 
ton.  The  admiral  said  he  had  heard  that  the  hospitals  had 
received  seme  supplies.  He  was  abked  from  whence, 
and  assured  it  was  not  the  case. 

Finding  the  admiral  still  hesitating,  Major  Griffin  said 
:that  the  reputed  humanity  of  admiral  Warren  forbid 
Major  Cmtchfield  to  doubt  that  the  application  for  the 
passage  of -a  flag  to  Norfolk  would  be  refused."  After 
a  short  time,  Major  Griffin  was  informed  that  the  ilag 
might  proceed,  upon  condition  of  returning  along  side  the 
ship,  in  the  same  vessel,  with  the  same  persons,  and  with 
no  increase  of  persocs.  The  restriction  to  the  same  ves 
sel  was  combatted  on  the  ground,  that  in  the  event  of  much 
wind,  the  boat  was  too  small  to  navigate  the  Roads,  and 
thus  the  object  of  the  flag  would  be  defeated  ;  but  find 
ing  no  relaxation  in  the  condition  probable,  it  was  deter 
mined  upon  consultation  with  Lieutenant  Lively  to  proceed. 
Upon  the  subject  of  prisoners,  admiral  Warren  ac 
knowledged  one  only  to  be  in  tne  fleet,  taken  at  Hamp 
ton.  He  declined  all  arrangements,  and  avoided  all  dis 
quisition  on  this  topick,  saying  he  had  opened  correspon 
dence  with  Gen.  Taylor,  but  nothing  was  decided  relative 
to  the  officers'  baggage  captured  in  Hamilton.  The 
admiral  said,  that  such  articles  as  had  been  found  had 
been  restored,  and  mentioned  the  papers  of  Captain  Pryor, 
which  had  been  pUced  in  the  care  of  Captuin  Myers,  of 
Norfolk,  and  assured  Major  Griffin  that  he  would  direct 
sir  Sidney  B,eckvmh  to  inquire  further  ;  and  if  any 
should  be  discovered,  it  would  be  made  known  to  us  cm 
our  return.  We  were  then  informed  we  might  proceed, 
which  vre  immediately  did  ;  and  reached  Norfolk  after 
3>  P.  Mt  repaired  to  Gen.  Taylor's  quarters,  who  directed 
L 


•1^3  BARBARITIES  GF 

the  supplies  written  for  by  the  surgeons.  Returning  on 
the  2d,  we  were,  as  customary,  again  met  by  a  barge  of 
the  enemy  and  desired  to  call  on  board  the  admiral's 
ship.  We  entered  the  ship  with  the  officer  of  the  barge, 
and  were  received  by  the  captain,  who  enquired  if  we 
had  dispatches  for  the  admiral  ?  Being  informed  we 
were  the  returning  flag  that  .had  proceeded  to  Norfolk 
the  day  before,  the  captain  retired  to  the  cabin,  and  short 
ly  returned  with  ;  information  that  we  might  proceed 
•when  we  pleased.  This  we  did,  and  deposited  with  D-r. 
Colton  the  medical  and,  hospital  supplies  sent  from  Nor 
folk, 

Upon  our  reaching  Hampton  a  scene  of  desolation  and 
destruction  presented  itself— the  .few  inhabitants  we 
found,  jn  town,  seemed. not  yet  to  have, recovered  from 
their  alarm — dismay  and  consternation  sat  on  every  coun 
tenance— -reports  had  reached  .us  of  the  violence  and  un- 
controled  fury  of  the  enemy,  after  they  obtained  posses 
sion  of  the  place — their  cond,uct  in  some  cases  being  re 
presented  such  as  would  have  disgraced  the  days  of  Van 
dalism.  Our  feelings  were  much  excited,  and  _we  deem 
ed  it  our  duty  to  pursue  the  enquiry  as  far  .as  practica 
ble,  and  are  sorry  to  say,  that  from  the  information  we 
could  procure  from  sources  too  respectable  to  permit  us 
to  doubt,  we  are  compelled  to  believe  that  acts  of  violence 
have  been  perpetrated,  which  have  disgraced  the  age  in 
'which  we  live.  The  sexf  hitherto  guarded  by  the  sol 
dier's  honour,  escaped  not  the  rude  assaults  of  s.uperiour 
force,  nor  could  disease  disarm  the.  foe  of  his*  ferocity.  The 
apology  that  these  atrocities  were  committed  by  the  French 
soldiers  attached  to  the  British  ibrce  now  in  our  waters, 
appeared. to  us.co  justification  of  those  who  employed 
them,  believing  as  we  do,  that  an  officer  is  or  should  be, 
ever  responsible  for  the  conduct  of  the  troops  under  his 
,  command. 

We  have  the  honour  to  be, 

Your  humble  servants, 

,0.       g  T.  GRIFFIN, 

(aigned,  .  R.  LIVELY/ 

:Major  L,  .Crutchfield,  commander  at  York, 


THE  ENEMY.  HB* 

Massacre  and  burning  of  American  prisoners  surrendered 
to  officers  of  Great  Britain,  by  Indians  in  the   British 
Service.     Abandonment  of  the  remains   of  Americans 
killed  in  battle,  or  murdered  after  the  surrender  to  the 
British.     The  pillage  and  shootin-g  of  American  citi 
zens,  and  the  burning  of 'their  houses  after  surrender  to 
the  British,  under  the  guarantee  of  protection. 
Extract  of  a  letter  from  Augustus  -3.  W  oodward,  Esq.  to 
General  Proctor. 

DETROIT,  FEB.  2d,  1813. 

"  They  (the  inhabitants  of  Michigan)  have  enter taiiicd  ' 
a  constant  apprehension  that  when  the  American  forces 
approached  the  territory,  and  when  an  engagement  had 
taken  place,  the  fury  of  the  savage  mind  at  the  sight  of 
blood,  and  in  reflecting  on  the  dead  they  lose,  and  perhaps 
on  the  retaliatory  treatment  of  prisoners,  or  of  the  dead, 
which  their  cruel  mode  of  warfare  is  aiways  likely  to  jr/o- 
duce,  might  drive  them  to  an  ignoble  revenue  on  the  pris 
oners  they  find  in  the  country,  and  the  inhabitants  of  it,  who 
are  American  citizens.  They  therefore  pressed  this  sub 
ject  on  your  attention  previous  to  the  battle  of  the  22 d  of 
January,  1813  ;  and  felt  satisfied  with  your  assurance  that 
you  considered  your  own  honor  pledged  for  their  effectual 
protection. 

"  Since  the  result  of  that  battle,  facts  are  before  their 
facci  which  they  cannot  shut  their  eyes  upon.  Some  of 
them  are  perhaps  unknown  to  yourself.  I  will  ennumcrate 
softie  which  1  believe  there  will  be  no  difficulty  in  estab 
lishing  beyond  the  reach  of  contradiction. 

"First.  Some  of  the  prisoners  after  the  capitulation  of 
the  22d  of  January,  1813,  have  been  tomahawked  by  the 
savages. 

"  Second.  Some  of  the  prisoners  after  that  capitulation, 
have  been  shot  by  the  savages. 

"Third.  Some  of  the  prisoners  after  that  capitulation, 
have  been  burnt  by  the  savages. 

^Fourth.  Some  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  territory  of 
Michigan,  citizens  of  the  United  States  of  America,  after 
the  capitulation,  have  been  shot  by  the  savages. 

"Fifth,  The  houses  of  some  of  the  ihlu;bitams  of  ihe 


1S4  BARBARITIES  OF 

territory,  American  citizens,  aftsr  the   capitulation,  have 
fceen  burnt  by  the  savages. 

"Sixth.    Some  of  the    inhabitants,  American  citL'*Rs, 
after  the  capitulathn,  haye    been  pillaged    by  the  aava- 


J,   W..  Af'L'tan,  Esq.  to  Mr.   Woodward. 

£A-NDWICH,  FEB.  9,  1813, 

Si-n  —  You  will  have  the  goodness  to   appoint-  a    day   for 
the  purpose  of  adducing  before  colonel  Proctor  such  proof 
•  •.;  you  may  have,  to  substantiate  the  assertions  In  your  let- 
;?r  to  hii-n,  relative  to  the  the  slaughter  of  the  en  em  y's  sick. 
and  wounded,  on  the  22-.1  January  last. 
I  have  the  honour  to  be,  &c. 
(Mtned)  A.  W.   M'LEAN,  aid-cle-camp. 

Extract  of  a  letter  from  Mr.  Woodward  to  Gen.  Proctor. 

"SANDWICH,  FEB.  10. 

"  I  had  the  honour  to  receive,  on  the  third  day  of  this 
month,  a  verbal  message  from  you  communicated  to  me  by 
major  Malr,  requesting  rne  to  procure  some  evidence  cf 
the  massacre  of  the  American  prisoners,  on  the  22cl  day  of 
January  lust. 

"I  met  Auth  only  a  few  persons  at  Detroit  who  are  in 

habitants  of  the  river  Tl-asin,  nor  was  it  altogether  a  pleas 

ant  task  to  those,  to  rclute,  in  these  limes,  the  scenes  they 

o  beheld.     Some  of  them,  hoAvever,   appeared  before  a 

magistrate,  and  I  send  you  copies  of  what   they  have  stat 

ed.     It  will  occur  to  you,  bir,  immediately,  that  what  any 

.of  them  state,  on  the  information  of  others,  though  not  di 

rect  evidence  in  itself,  leads  to  the  source  where  it  may  be 

obtained, 

u  In  communicating  your  message,  major  Muir  added 
•sov;i«:thing  having  relation  to  American  citizens,  who  might 


be  wiiih'ijj  to  take  the  oath  to  the 

"  It  will  be  obvious  to  you,  sir,  that  in  a  state  of  rpen  and 
declared  war,  a  subject  or  citizen  of  one  party,  cannot  trans 
fer  his  allegiance  to  il-,e  other  puny,  without  incur  i  ing  the 
penalties  of  trc-as^n  ;  ,ui;d,  \vlule  nothing  can  excuse  his 
guili,  so,  ii«jii';c.-  uro  those  h.oootuit  *»vho  lay  temptation  '. 

:';.;;.-  the  Til, 


THE  ENEMY.  125 

«  The  principles  adopted  by  the  United  Stales  on  the 
subject  of  expatriation,  are  liberal,  but  are  perfectly  inap 
plicable  to  a  publick  enemy  in  time  of  war. 

"Some  of  the  French  inhabitants  of  the  territory  of 
Michigan,  citizens  of  the  United  States  of  America,  have 
been  much  urged  on  this  subject,  and  are  apprehensive  of 
being  further  troubled. 

I  had  the  fur  her  honour  of  receiving,  on  the  eighth  inst. 
your  verbal  message  by  your  aid-de-camp  Mr.  M'Lean, 
acquainting  me  that  there  was  no  capitulation  on  the  22d 
January,  and  that  the  prisoners  surrendered  at  discretion. 

"  I,  therefore,  beg  pardon  for  that  mistake. 

*'  T-he  principles,  however,  of  the  laws  of  nations,  im 
pose  an  obligation  almost  equally  strong." 


No.  XXV. 

TRANSLATION, 

Territory    of  Michigan,   \       ^ 
district  of  Detroit.        5 

Personally  appeared  before  me,  the  undersigned,  one  of 
the  justices  of  the  peace  in  the  district  of  Detroit,  Joseph 
Roberts,  an  inhabitant  on  the  river  aux  Raisins,  M?ho  being 
duly  sworn  on  the  Holy  Evangelists,  deposes  and  says  ; — 
that  on  the  next  day  after  the  battle  on  the  said  river  Rai 
sin,  a  short  time  aiter  sunrise,  he  saw  the  Indians  kill  the 
American  prisoners,  with  their  tomahawks,  and  that  they 
shot  several,  to  wit,  three,  that  the  Indians-  set  the  house 
on  fire,  and  that  in  going  out,  the  prisoners  \vere  mas 
sacred  and  killed  as  aforesaid,  that  is  to  say:  three  were 
shot,  the  oUiers  were  killed  in  th^  houses,  and  burnt  with 
the  houses.  The  Indians  burnt  first  the  house  of  Jean 
Bapliste  Joreaume,  and  afterwards  that  of  Gabriel  GadlYey, 
junr.  The  deponent  has  been  informed  thai  there  vere 
ubout  forty-eight  or  forty-nine  prisoners  in  the  two  houses. 
The  deponent;  lias  seen  dead  bodies  on  the  high-way, 
\vhich  the  hogs  were  tearing  and  eating.  Mr.  Urunot 
told  the  deponent  that  the  Indian*  UJK]  killed  those  tithe 


126  BARBARITIES  OF 

prisoners  who   were  least  wounded,  and  that  the  others 
were  burnt  alive. 

Ante-ice  Cuie'larie  and  Alexis  Sallior,  inhabitants  on 
(he  river  Ecorces,  told  the  deponent  that  two  prisoners 
had  been  burnt  in  the  house  of  Grandon,  on  the  river  aux 
Sables.  The  deponent  has  heard  that  the  Indians  had 
torn  out  the  hearts  of  the  prisoners,  and  had  brought  them 
stil!  smoaking  into  the  houses,  but  did  not  recollect  the 
names  of  the  informants  ;  he  believes,  however,  they  were 
men  worthy  of  credit. 

The  deponent  says  further,  that  after  the  first  action 
on  the  river  Raisin,  the  Indians  fired  on  one  named  Solo, 
son-in-law  to  Stephen  Labeau,  an  inhabitant  of  the  river 
RUX  -Sables,  when  returning  from  the  house  of  Grandon 
to  his  father-in-law  ;  on  his  arrival,  he  hallooed  to  his  fath 
er-in-law  to  open  the  door,  saying,  that  he  was  mortally 
wounded;  Stephen  Labeau  opened  the  door  asd  told  his. 
son-in -l:\vv-  to  throw  himself  on  his  bed,  but  that  in  trying 
K>  move  he  fell  dead.  An  Indian  knocked  at  the  doors, 
uul  Lebeau  having  opened  it,  received  a  ball  in  his  breast, 
A  IK'  fell  dead.  The  son  of  Lebeau  made  his  escape  ;  the 
Indians  fired  several  shots  at  him  which  did  not  reach 
Lim . 

The  deponent  says  farther,  that  Baptiste  Coutcur  was 
Killed  near  the  house  of  the  deponentvon  the  day  of  the 
second  battle  of  the  river  Raisin,  a  little  after  sunrise. 

The  deponent  says  farther,  that  the  Indians  have  often 
threatened  to  burn  his  house  and  barn,  if  he  did  not  march 
with  them  against  the  Americans.  The  deponent  says  he 
is  an  American  citizen. 

The  deponent  says,  that  several  of  his  neighbours  hav« 
told  hirn  th.it  they  had  received  the  same  threat.  Other 
settlements  have  been  threatened  with  fire.  The  mills 
and  houses  on  the  river  f.ux  Reches  were  fcutiH  in  th$ 
month  of  September  last,  after  the  capitulation  of  Detroit, 
And  further  this  deponent  said  not. 

JOSEPH  ROBERT. 

Severn  and    subscribed  before  me,  the  4th  February? 
1813,  * 

PETER  AUDAIN,  J.  P.  D.  D. 


THE  ENEMY.  12? 

No.  XX VI, 

Territory  of  Mulligan,  ~) 
k   district  of  Detroit.     5 

Be  it  remembered,  that  on  this  day,  Feb.  the  fourth, 
A.  D.  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  thirteen)  personal 
ly  came  before  the  undersigned,  a  justice  of  the  peace  for 
the  district  aforesaid,  viz.  John  M'Donnell,  an  inhabitant 
of  the  city  of  Detroit,  who,  after  being  duly  sworn  upon 
the  Holy  Evangtlistsof  Almighty  God,  deposeth  and  saith, 
that  a  few  days  after  the  battle  of  the  22d  of  January  last, 
(at  the  river  Raisin)  he  was  personally  presented  at  the 
house  of  James  May,  Esq*  when  he  heard  the  said  James 
May  ask  Mr.  William  Jones,  the  acting  agent  for  the  Indian 
department,  if  there  would  be  any  impropriety  in  purchas 
ing  the  prisoners  from  the  Indians  ;  and  that  he  heard  the 
said  William  Jones  say,  <  that  he  thought  there  would  be 
no  impropriety  in  purchasing  them,  but  would  nnt  under 
take  to  authorise  any  person  to  do  so  ;'  that  in  conse 
quence  of  which,  this  deponent  purchased  three  cr  four  of 
the  prisoners,  amongst  the  number  was  one  by  the  name 

of Hamilton,  a  private,  in  the  Kentucky  volunteers, 

who  declared,  to  this  deponent,  that  on  the  first  or  second 
day  after  the  battle,  at  the  River  Raisin,  on  the  22d  January 
last,  as  he  and  some  of  his  fellow  prisoners  were  marching 
with  the  Indians  between  this  place  and  the  river  Raisin, 
they  came  up  to  where  one  of  th^prisoners  was  burnt,  the 
life  just  expiring,  ami  an  Indiaiwficking  the  ashes  off  his 
bad',  saying  'damned  son  of  a  bitch.3 

This  deponent  also,  further  depftseth  as  aforesaid,  that 
doctor  Bowers,  a  surgeon's  mate  of  the  Kentucky  volun 
teers,  who  was  purchased  by  him  and  some  ether  gentle 
men,  stated  to  thi>  deponent  "  that  he  was  left  to  take  care 
of  the  wounded  after  the  battle,  but  felt  rather  timid  on  ac 
count  of  ihe  savages,  bat  that  he  received  such  assurances 
from  capt.  or  col,  Elliott,  of  the  sa'ety  of  himself  as  well  as 
the  remaining  prisoners,  he  concluded  to  stay,  as  sleighs 
were  promised  to  be  sent  to  fetch  them  away  the  next 
morning  ;  that  near  about  day-light  cf  ths'  morning 
following  the  day  of  the  battle,  the  Indians  came  into 
the  house  where  said  Bawers  was  with  the  other  prison 
ers;  and  pr.oce.eded  to  plunder  and  tomalrawk  suah  as  ceulrt 


IBS  BARBARITIES  OF 

not  Wulk  ;  and  stripping  the  said  Bowers  and  the  wounded 
prisoners  ot  all  their  cloth'es,  that  while  the  said  Bowers 
and  two  other  prisoners,  named  Searls  and  Bradford,  as 
K ear  as  this  deponent  can  recollect,  were  sitting  by  the 
fire  in  the  Indian  camp,  an  Indian  came  up  who  appear 
ed  to  be  drunk,  and  called  the  said  Searls,  as  near  as  this 
deponent  can  recollect,  a  Madison  or  Washington,  then 
took  up  a  tomahawk  and  struck  the  said  Searls  on  the 
shoulders  ;  that  the  said  Searls  caught  hold  of  the  toma 
hawk  and  held  it  for  some  time  ;  that  the  said  Bowers  ad 
vised  the  said  Searls  to  submit  to  his  fate  ;  with  that,  the 
Indian  gave  him  a  second  blow  on  the  head,  killed,  scal/i- 
ed,  and  stript  him  ;  during  this  time  the  said  Bowers  and 
Bradford  were  personally  present,  and  being  apprehen 
sive  for  their  own  safety,  that  he,  Bowers,  ran  'and  came 
wp  to  the  old  chief  (who  sold  him  to  his  deponent  and 
others)  who  took  him  under  his  protection,  and  was  very 
kind  to  him.  This  deponent  further  deposeth,  that  he  has 
reason  to  believe  the  aforesaid  Bowers  and  Hamilton  are 
Jiov/  at  Sandwich,  and  if  applied  to,  they  could  give  more 
simple  information  relative  to  the  particulars  aforesaid.— 
And  further  this  deponent  saith  not. 

JOHN  M'DONNELL. 

Sworn  and  subscribed  at  my  chambers  in  the  city  cf 
Detroit,  the  day  and  year  before  written. 

^  JAMES  MAY, 

APPURTENANCES  TO  No.  26. 

No.  I. 
Note  from  Mr,  John  McDonnell  to  James  May,  Esq. 

Detroit,  February  4,  1813. 

D.EAR  SIR — I  had  a  conversation  "with  Mr.  Smart, 
rtbout  leaving  your  house  to-day,  who  had  a  conversation 
•with  Bowers  and  Bradford.  He  observes  that  I  have 
made  several  material  errors  in  my  affidavit  before  you 
this' day.  He  says  the  prisoner  kill'ojd  was  of  the  name 
of  Blylhe,  instead  of  Seails  ;  and  mentioned  some  other 
errors  that  cliffe*  wi-Jely  from  what  I  liaye  sworn  to,  so 


THE  ENEMY.  1*9' 

at   I  think    it  is  a  pity  Bowers'  and  Bradford's  a{r.d:vit3 

mid  not  be  had  instead  of  mine. Yours, 

J.M'DONNEJLL, 
James  May,  Esq* 


No.  II. 
J\'ctc  from  Afr.  M*  Dmndi  to  Mr.  Ly-ws^  his  clerk  ^ 

I  wish  you  to  mention  to  judge  Woodvrard,  that  appli 
cation  ia  made  for  me  by  a  friend  on  the  other  side,  to  re 
main  ti.fl  the  navigation  opens.  On  that  account  I  hope 
that  he  will  keep  hack  the  deposition  that  1  have  made  re 
gard!  ng  the  murders  committed  by  the  savages  on  the  riv 
er  Raisin,  as  he  has  much  better  testimony  to  substantiate 
facts  than  what  I  have  sworn  to  on  hearsay  ;  and  as  I  am 
sure,  if  the  colonel  was  even  dispose^  to  hear  my  applica 
tion,  that  affidavit  will  be  enough  to  send  me  off,  or  else  if 
I  was  allowed  to  remain,  Elliott  would  set  the  Indkuis  oa. 
me. 

No.  XXVII. 


Territory  of  Michigan,    > 

District  of  Detroit.     $ 

Personally  appeared  before  me,  the  undersigned,  orae- 
of  the  justices  of  the  pence  in  the  district  of  Detroit,  Ai> 
toine  Poulard,  of  the  river  aux  Raisins,  who  being  sworn 
on  the  Holy  Evangelists,  cleposeth  a  D-d  says,  that  on  <  the 
next-  day  after  the  last  bailie  on  the  river  aux  Rabins,  he 
saw  the  Indians  kill  the  secretary  of  the  American  general, 
who  was  on  l  he  horse  of  the  Indian  who  had  taken  him 
prisoner,  with  a  riHo  shot  ;  that  t'le  prisoner  fell  on  one 
side,  and  an  Indian  camp  forward  with  a.  sabre*  finished 
him,  scalped  him,  stript  him,  and  carried  away  his  clothes. 
The  body  remained  two  days  on  tho  high-way,  before 


130-  BARBARITIES'"  OF 

door  of  the  deponent,  and  was  part  eat  up  by  the  hogs.  Af 
terwards*  the  deponent,  together  with  Francois  Lassellsy. 
Hubert  Lacroix,  Chailes  Chovin,  and  Leu  is  Lajoye,  took 
up  the  corpse  at  dusk  of  the  evening,  and  carried  "it  into 
a  field  near  the  woods,  where  the  hogs  did  not  go.  They 
dared  not  to  bury  it  for  fear  of  being  surprised  by  the  In- 
dians.  And  further  this  deponent  saith  not- 

his 
ANTOINE    x  DOULAND, 

mark 

Sworn  and  subscribed,  in  any  presence,  the  5th  February^ 
1813. 

PETER  AUDRAIN,  J.  P.  D.  D- 


No.  XXV III; 

Thereby  certify,  that  the  next  day  after  the  last  battle  OR  i 
the  river  aux  Raisins,  the  secretary  of  the  American  gen* 
eral  was  taken  near  the  door  of  the  deponent  ;  was  wound 
ed  and  placed  on  a  horse;  that  seven  or  eight  IrxHac-s  were 
near  the  house,  one  of  whom  shot  him  in  the  head  iwiih  a 
rifle  ;  that  he  did  not  fall  off  his  horse  until  another  Indian, 
drawing  bis  sabre,  struck  him  on  the  -head  several  times,', 
and  then  he  fell  to.  the  Aground  ;  was  scalped,  stript  of  his 
clothes,  and  left  on  the  road,  where  he -remained  one  day 
and  a  half  ,  I  the  deponent,  with  Francois  Lasselle,  Hubert 
Lacroix,  Louis  Crovin,  on  the  evening-  of  the  second  day, 
took  up  the  body,  carried  it,  to  the  skirts  of  the  woods, 
and  covered  it  with  a  few  branches,  but  could  not  stay  to 
bury  it,  for  fear  of  the  Indians  that  were  in  the  neigh 
bourhood  ;  and  on  the  next  day  alter  the  last  battle  I  was 
near  the  house  of  Gabriel  Godfrey*  jun.  and  the  fcouse  of 
Jean  Captistere  Jcreaurn,  where  a  great  number  of  pris 
oners  were-cQllected  ;  and  that  I  -heard  the  screaming  of 
the  prisoners  whom  the  Indians  were  tomahawking-  ;  that 
the  savages  set  the  houses  on  fire  and  went  off. 

his 

LOUISX  BERNARD, 
mark 

dit  Lajoye. 

Itefc-erV,  Feb.  53  1813.-, 


THE  ENEMY.  m 

No.  XXIX, 

I  certify,  that  the  bodies  of  the  Americans  killed  at  the 
battle  of  la  Riviere  aux  Raisins,  of  the  twenty  second  of 
January  last,  remained  unburied.  ;  and  that  1  have  seen  the 
liogs  and  dogfceuting  them. 

The  hogs  appeared  to  be  rendered  mad  by  so  profuse  a 
diet  of  Christian  flesh. 

I  saw  the  houses  of  Mr.  Gerome  and  Mr.  Godfrey,  on 
ii.re,  and  have  heard  that  there  were  prisoners  in  them. 

The  inhabitants  did  not  dare  to  bury  the  dead  on  account 
of  the  Indians. 

The  inhabitants  have  been  threatened  by  the  Indians,  if 
they  did  not  take  up  arms  against  the  Americans. 

Michigan^  February  6th,  1813. 

(Signed)  his 

.ALEXIS  X  LABAIDE. 
.mark. 

This  is  to  certify,  that  on  or  about  the  twenty-eighth  day 
of.  January  last  pastr  an  Indian  <womau  .came  to  my  dwel 
ling  house,  on  the  river  Rouge,  and  informed  me  that  on 
the  morning  of  that  day  an  American  prisoner  had  been 
killed  in  the  Indian  camp,  and  the  reason  she  assigned  for 
killing  him  was  because.  he  had  .expressed  an  hatred  for 
;ihe  Indians. 

:ROBERT  ABBOT. 
-.  Detroit  jBtA  Feb.  1813. 


District  of  Detroit, 

Personally  appeared  before  me  the  subscriber,  Aaron 
Thomas  and  Agnes  Thomas,  his  wife,  who  both  made  oath 
on  the  Holy  Evangelists  of  Almighty  God,  that  the  Indians 
have  taken  from  them,  from  the  house  of  Mr.  Atwater,  on 
the  16th  of  August,  1812,  one  chintz  gown,  valued  seven 
and  a  half  dolkirs,  one  calico  gown,  valued  three  dollars 
seventy-five  cents,  one  calimanco  petticoat  valued  four 
dollars,  one  pair  of  cotton  stockings,  one  dollar  fifty  cents, 
one  pair  woolen  stockings,  seventy-five  cents,  one  pair  of 
siljk  gloves,  one  dollar  fifty  cents,  one  new  small  trunk,  twp 


TS2  BARBARITIES  OF 

dollars,  one  pocket-book,  two  dollars,  thread  one  clollat?, 
needles  fifty  cents,  one  shawl,  one  dollar,  one  -cam  brie,  k 
handkerchief  severity,  five  cents,  cne  cotton  ditto  sixty-two 
and  one  half  cents,  one  shift  one  dollar,  three- fourths  of  a 
pound  of  pepper,  fifly  cents,  one  cake  of  chocolate,  twen 
ty  five  cents,  one  fan  fifty  cents,  one  blanket,  ^ree  dollars, 
G«e  cloak,  ten  dollars,  three  yards  of  check  cotton,  ninety- 
three  and  three  fourths  cents,  one  shawl  one  dollar,  one 
.flannel  loose  gown,  three  dollars.  On  the  twelfth  Septem- 
be.\  taken  on  river  Rouge,  one  chesnut  sorrel  horse,  fifty 
doliars — saddle  and  bridle,  ten  dollars.  On  Friday,  the 
eleventh  September,  taken  on  river  Rouge,  one  other  sad- 
tile,  eight  dollars,  one  pair  leather  leading  lines,  two  dol 
lars  fifty  cents,  leading  lines,  seventy-five  cents,  one  axe, 
two  dollars  fifty  cents,  chintz  patches,  two  dollars. 

feworn  before  jne,  at  my  chambers,  17th  September, 
1812. 

(Signed)  P.  AUDRIAN,  J.  P.  D.  D. 

No.  XXXII. 
Letter  from  the   Indians,   to   the   inhabitants  of  the  river 

Raisin — not  dated. 

Tfae  Hurons,  and  the  other  tribes  of  Indians,  assembled 
at  the  Miami  Rapids,  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  river  Rai 
sin. 
FRIENDS!  LISTEN! 

You  have  always  tojd  u.s  you  would  give  us  any  assist 
ance  in  your  povyer. 

We  therefore,  as  the  enemy  is  approaching  us,  within 
twenty-five  miles,  call  upon  you  all  to  rise  up  and  come 
here  immediately,  bringing  your  arms  along  with  you* 

Should  you  full  at  this  time,  we  will  not  consider  you  in 
future  as  friends,  and  the  consequences  may  be  very  un 
pleasant. 

We  arc  well  convinced  you  have  no  writings  forbidding 
you  to  assist  us. 

-    We  are  your  friends  at  present, 
(Signed)  ROUND  HEAD. 

By  an  emblem  resembling  a  horse* 
(Signed)  WALK  IN  THE   WATER. 

By  an  zmbiem  resembling  a  turtle* 


THE  ENEMY.  130 

No.  XXXIII. 
TRANSLATION. 

^Letter  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  river  Raisin^  dated  Rivierre 

Aux  Razsin9,  the  13  ih  of  November,  1812. 
No  the  honourable  judge  Woodward,  Detroit ,  Ri-vierre  eiux: 

Raising)  the  \  2th  November,  1812. 
SIR, — In  the  embarrassment  in  which  we  find  ourselves 
at  present,  on  the  subject  of  a  letter  addressed  to  colonel 
Navar,  on  the  part  of  the  Hurons  and  other  savage  tribes, 
\vlnc!epnte  him  to  you  to  represent  to  you  the  situation  of 
the  inhabitants  of  the  river  Raisin,  praying  you  to  assist 
him  with  your  advice  in  so  delicate  a  matter,  having  at  all 
times  had  great  confidence  in  your  great  knowledge. 

We  hare  the  honour  to  be,  with  profound  respect,  your 
obedient  servants. 

(Signed)        .  JAQUES  LASELLE, 

JEAN  BAPTISTE  GEROME, 
JEANE  BAPTISTE  BEAUGRAND, 
FRANCOIS  LASSELL, 
DUNCAN  REID, 
JEAN  BAPTISTE  LASSELLE. 

^Extract  from  the  report  of  ensign  Isaac  L.  Baker,  agsnl 
for  the  prisoners   taken  after  the  battle  of  Frcnchtoivn^ 
January  32 d,  18  1 3,  t o  brigadier-general  Winchester ,  dated 
British  Aiagara^  February  26,  1813. 
For  the  greatest  number  of  our  unfortunate  fellow-sol 
diers  being  sent  from  Detroit,  we  are  indebted  to  the  ex 
ertions  of  our  prisoner  fellow  citizens  there,  who  with  un 
exampled  generosity  when  they  saw  their  countrymen  driv 
en  through  the  streets  like  sheep  to  a  market,  lavished 
their  wealth  for  their  ransom.     Nor  was  the  procuration 
of  our  liberty  all.      We  had  been  almost  entirely  stript  by 
the  Indians,     Clothes,  sutfh  as  the  exigency  of  the  occa 
sion  permitted  to  be  prepared,  were  furnished  us. 

4t  On  the  8th  inst.  colonel  Proctor  orc&red  me  to  make 
out  a  return  of  all  the  prisoners  who  were  killed  by  the 
Indians  subsequent  to  the  battle,  agreeable  to  the  best  in 
formation  I  could  collect.  The  enclosed  return  marked  B. 
was  produced  by  this  order.  I  might  have  added  the  gal- 
kin  t  captain  Nathaniel  Gray  ;  S.  Hart,  deputy  inspector 
general  j  captain  Virgil  M'Crackin,  of  colonel 
M 


.134  BARBARITIES  OF 

regiment ;  captain  John  H.  Woolfolk,  your  secretary  5  en« 
sign  Lev  i  Wells,  of  the  7th  United  States  infantry  and  a 
/.number  of  privates,  whom  I  find  by  subsequent  informa 
tion,  have  been  massacred. 

"  The  memory  of  past  services  rendered  me  by  captain 
Hart's  family,  made  me  particularly  anxious  10  ascertain  his 
fate.  I  flattered  myself  he  was  alive,  and  every  information 
I  could  get  for  some  time  flattered  my  hopes.  But  one  of  the 
last  prisoners  who  was  brought  in,  told  me  that  the  captula 
was  certainly  massacred.  He  was  so  badly  wounded  a*4to  jfle- 
vent  him  from  walking-.  The  Indians  took  him.  some  distance 
en  a  horse,  but  at  length  took  him  off  and  tomahawked  him. 

"  About  the  10th  instant,  an  Indian  brought  captain  M'- 
Crackin's  commission  to  Sandwich — the  paper  was  bloody. 
The  fellow  said  he  took  the  captain  unhurt,  but  sometime  af 
ter,  when  stripping  and  examining  Mm,  he  found  an  Indian 
scalp  in  his  bosom,  which  induced  him  to  kill  him.  This, 
you  cannot  but  be  assured,  is  a  humbug  of  the  fellow's  own 
making,  to  screen  himself  from  the  odium  of  barbarity.-— 
The  captain's  character,  and  the  danger  that  attended  his 
carrying  such  furniture  in  a  disastrous  battle,  give  it  the 
:Jie. 

"  Captain  Wooifoik,  after  having  been  wounded  in  two 
places,  by  some  means  had  got  refuge  in  one  of  the  French 
houses  on  the  Raisin.  He  was  discovered  next  day  and 
dragged  from  his  asylum*  He  was  taken  to  the  house  of 
a  Mr.  Lasselle,.  where  he  said  he  would  give  1000  dollars 
to  any  one  who  would  purchase  him.  Mr.  Lasselle  said  it 
v.as  out  of  his  power,  but  he  had  no  doubt  his  brother 
•would  do  it,  who  lived  at  hand.  He  directed  his  owners 
to  the  house  of  his  brother,  but.  as  they  were  on  their  way, 
an  Indian  from  a  waste  house,  shot  him  through  the  head. 

"  JEnsign  Wells  was  taken  .by  my  side  unhurt.  I  con 
sidered  him  as  alive  until  my  arrival  at  this  place.  Cap 
tain  Nags  tells  rap  he  was  killed  by  a  Potavvattimie  Indian? 
not  long  alter  he  was  uiken. 

"•Many  fivsh  scalps  have  been  brought  in  since  the  bat 
tle,  and  dead  bodies  seen  through  the  country,  which  proves 
that  others  have  been  killed  whose  names  1  have  not  been  a- 
ble  to  find  out3  independent  of  those  reported  to  col 
Proctor* 


THE  ENEMYv  135 

."'This  sir,  is^ftl  the  information  I  have  been  able  to  col 
lect)  concerning  those  who  are  massacred.  The  fifteen  or 
eighteen  mentioned  in  the  remarks  to  the  return  made  to 
colonel  Proctor,  whose  names  do  not  appear>  were  not 
known  by  those  who  saw  them  killed. 

"  Major  Graves  of  the  5th  regiment  of  Kentucky  vol 
unteers,  I  have  been  able  to  get  no  information  of  further 
than  that  he  was  brought  to  the  river  Rouge,  on  the  25th 
or  26th  of  January  ...in  a  sleigh,  I  fear,  from  our  having 
heard  nothing  of  him  since,  that  he  is  no  more,  and  that 
valuable  officer  forever  lost  to  his  country. 

4i  The  dead  of  cur  army  are  still  denied  the  rights  of 
sepulture.  At  the  time  1  left  Sandwich,  I  was  told  the 
hogs  were  eating  them.-  A  gentleman  told  me  he 
seen  theui  running  about  with  skulls,  arms,  legs  and  o 
parts  of  the  human  system  in  their  mouths.  The  Trench 
people  on  the  Raisin  buried  captains  IJLit,  Wool  folk  and 
some  others-,  but  il  was  more  than  their  lives_  v,  ere  worthj 
lo  have  been  caught  paying  this  lust  accustomed  tribute  to 
mortality. 

"  I  have  several  times  agitated  the  subject  of  burying 
the  dead,  when  in  company  with  the  British  officer*,  but 
they  always  answered  that  the  Indians-  would  no!  «: f- 
fer  it, 


13. 

A  return  of  the  American  /;;\      .  •       who  wrc-  tomahawked 
bi)  the   Indians   si:  i't!e  at  J^rtnchtown^ 

January  22d,  IS  IS, 

1.  Pascal  Hickman,  captain;  .2.  James  E.  Elyth,  pri 
vate  ;  3.  Charles  Gciies.  c:o.  4,  Thorn  a. s  S.  Crow,  (!o,  5, 
Daniel  Darnell,  do.  6.  Thoraas  Ward,  do.  7 '.  \\illiain 
Butler,  do.  8.  Henry  Downy,  do,  9.  Jehn  P.  Sydney,  do. 

In  addition  to  the  above  number,  I  saw  two  others  toma 
hawked  at  Sandy  creek  myself,  and  find  that  the  prison 
ers  now  in  the  hospital  at  Sandwich  saw,  say  fifteen  or 
eighteen  others,  treated  in  the  same  manner.  Two  men 
tell  me  they  saw  one  who  had-  the  appearance  of  having 
been  burned  to  death.  Those  men  who  saw  Henry  Dow- 


136  BARBARITIES  OF 

By  and  William  Butler  killed,  tell  me  tha&the  Indians  left 
them  wilhout  scalping. 

ISAAC  L.  BAKER, 
Ensign  ^d  United  Slate**  infantry. 

'     Colonel  H.  Proctor. 


Extract  qf  a  later  from  Major-general  Harrison  to  the 
Secretary  at  ^jar^  dated  at  the  Miami  Rafiids^  l^ebruc^-i 
ry  1  ',  18'iS. 

*'  I  have  the  honour  to  enclose  to  you  the  deposition 
of  Meuard  Labadie,  who  was  at  the  river  Raisin  on  the 
22d  uit.  and  remained  there  till  the  5th  instant.  His  ac 
count  of  the  loss  of  the  enemy  in  the  action  is  corrobo 
rated  by  several  others,  nor  is  there,  the  least  reason  to 
doubt  his  statement,  as  it  regards  the  horrible  fate  of  our 
•\u/i.;n:k-d  I'icn.  There  is  another  circumstance  which 
jjii.irily  sh.ews  that  the  British  have  no  intention  to  con 
duct  the  war  (at  least  in  this  quarter)  upon  those  princi 
ples  which  have  been  held  sacred  by  all  civilized  nations. 
On  the  30th  ult.  I  dispatched  doctor  M'Kehan,  a  sur 
geon's  mate  in  the  militia,  with  a  flag,  to  ascertain  the 
situation  of  our  wounded.  He  was  attended"  by  one  of 
oiu*  militia  men  and  a  Frenchman.  On  the  night  after 
their  departure,  they  halted  near  this  place  for  the  par- 
pose  of  taking  a  few  hour's  sleep,  in  a  vacant  cabin  upon 
the  bank  of  the  river.  The  cariole  in  which  they  trav 
elled  was  left  at  the  door  with  the  flag:  set  up  in  it.  They 
were  discovered  by  a  party  of  Indians  (accompanied,  it 
is  said,  by  a  British- officer)  and  attacked  in  the  manner 
describee;  ia  t'iift  deposition.  The  milkia  man  was  killed 
and  sca'ped,  the  doctor  and  the  Frenchman  taken.  Doc 
tor  M'Ke&han  was  furnished  with  a  letter  addressed  to. 
r-ny  British  officer  whom  he  might  meet,  described  the 
character  >n  which  he  went,  and  the  object  for  which  he- 
•was  sent,  an  open  letter  to  general  Winchester,  and  writ 
ten  instructions  to  himself  all  of  which  he  was  directed  to 
shoiv  to  the  first  officer  he  met  with.  He  was  also  sup 
plied  wilh  one  hundred  dollars  in  gold  to  procure  necessa 
ries  for  the  prisoners." 

The  aUidavit  of  Medard  Labbadie5  late  resident  near 


THE  ENEMY.  ISr 

the  river  Retain,  in  the  Michigan  territory.  He  being 
sworn,  saith,  he  was  in  his  house  when  he  heard  the  guns 
at  the  commencement  of  the  action  at  the  river  Raisin, 
on  the  22d  January,  18 13, between  the  American  forces  un 
der  general  Winchester,  and  the  British,  Canadian  and  In 
dian  forces,  said  to  be  commanded  by  col.  St.  George.—— 
After  some  little  time,  he  heard  that  the  Indians  were  kill 
ing  the  inhabitants  us  well  as  the  Americans,  upon  which 
he  went  towards,  the  scene  of  action,  in  order  to  save  his 
family.  As  he  went  on,  he  was  with  one  other  inhabitant 
taken  prisoner  by  two  Wynadot  Indians,  and  carried  pris 
oner  to  the  Indian  lines,  from  which  he  saw  great  part  of 
the  action.  The  right  wing  of  the  Americans  had  giv 
en  way  before  he  got  a  sight  of  the  action,  It  terminated 
after  the  sun  was  some  hours  high,  not  far  from  1 1  o'clock 
A.  M.  by  the  surrender  of  the  American  forces  that  then 
remained  on  the  ground,  He  saw  ths -flay,  hoisted  by 
the  British  sent  to  the  American  forces,  and  saw  it  pass 
three  times  to  the  Americans  before  the  surrender.  He 
could  not  understand  English,  but  .understood  that  general 
\V  inchester  was  taken  prisoner  before  he  got  to  vhe  lines 
of  his  own  men  ;  that  he  was  compelled  to  carry  the  flag 
to  his  own  forces  after  he  was  taken  ;  that  he  understood 
the  reason  of  the  flag  passing-  so  often  was  that  the  Amer 
icans  refused  to  surrender  upon  any  other  terms  than  the 
wounded  should  be  taken  care  of,  the  dead  buried,  and 
the  inhabitants  protected  in  their  property.  That  the 
British  first  refused  to  agree  to  these  terms,  but  finally 
did  agree  to  their,,  He  also  understood  that  the  loss  of 
the  British  and  Indians  in  the  action  was  about  400  killedo 
He  also  understood  that  the  loss  of  the  Americans  in  the 
action  v/as  ab&ut  180  killed, 

He  knows  that  on  the  day  of  the  action  all  the  prison 
ers  who  were  able  to  march  were  marched  off  towards 
TtJuldcn,  tbe  wounded,  about  60  or  S@  in  number,  left  in 
two  houses  without  any  of  their  friends  or  a  physician  to 
take  care  of  them,-  and  without  any  British  officer  or  men, 
About  ten  Indians  remained  behind  upon  the  ground— the 
balance  of  the  Indians  went  off  with  the  British,  and  he 
v/as  toid  by  some  of  the  Canadian  militia  that  Ui£  British 


UB  BARBARITIES  OF 

had  promised  the  Indians  a  frolic  that  night  at  Stony  creefc» 
£,bout  six  miles  from  the  river  Raisin. 

He  was  liberated  after  the  line  of  march  was  formed 
for  Maiden.  Tlie  next  morning  he  was  in  the  houses 
where  the  wounded  were.  That  morning  about  fifty  Ir^- 
dians  returned;  they  brought  whiskey  with  them  ;  they 
drank  some  and  gave  some  to  the  Indians  there,  and  bt- 
ureen  9  and  1O  o'clock,  A.  M.  commenced  killing  the: 
wounded)  then  set  fire  to  the  houses  the  wounded  were  in, 
and  consumed  them.  He  was  at  his  father's  on  this  side 
ot  the  Detroit  river,  about  seven  days  after  the  action*. 
and  saw  across  the  river  the  prisoner.3  marched  off  for  Ni 
agara  from  Maiden. 

He  saith  that  he  sa;v  taken  by  his  house,  by  captain  El 
liot,  and  nine  Wyandot  Indians,  ttfo  men  tfaat  he  under 
stood  had  been  sent  by  general  Harrison  with  a  flag  to  th*. 
British.  One  of  the  men  (Mr.  Tessier)  he  knew,  the  oth 
er  he  did  not  know,  but  understood  he  was  a  doctor.  Hs. 
had  not  an  opportunity  of  conversing  with  them,  but  un 
derstood  from  an  inhabitant,  to  whom  Mr.  Tessier  com 
municated  it,  that  they  stopped  for  the  nigbt  and  left  the, 
flag  hoisted  on  the  carrole  ;  that  the  flag  was  taken  away. 
unknown  to  them,  and  that  the  Indians  nred  on  them  ; 
that  he,  Tessier,  told  them  they  were  Frenchmen,  and 
surrendered,  upon  which  the  Indians  ceased  firing,  and 
took  them.  They  then  mentioned  they  were  sent  with  a 
The  Indians  said  they  were  liars,  and  took  them 


Mr.  Tessier  was  set  at  liberty  at  the  riVer  Raisin,  and 
remained  two  days  expecting  the  doctor  to  return  ;  at   the 
end  of  which  time  Tessier  was.  sent  for  by  the  British, 
and   taken  to  Maiden.     He   understood  that    the  doctor 
•was  sent  off    immediately  to  Niagara  ;  the    doctor  was 
wounded  ift  the  ancle.     Fie  understood  the  British  charged 
the  doctor  and  Tessier  with  being  spies.     And  further  he, 
saith  not. 

(Signed)  MFJ5ARD  LAB3ADIE. 

Witness)  Q*  Graifot,  ear4aiu  of  engineers  and  interffe? 
tte, 


THE  ENEMV. 

Shvorn  to  before  me,  this  1  Uh  cUy:  of  February,    I&13 
Gamp,  foot  of  the  Miami  Rapids* 

(Signed).  C,  S.  TODD,  dis.  judge  ad. 

R.  GRAHAM,  aid  de-cam  p,> 
A  true  copy, 


Kentucky. 

Jftril  24/A,  1313,' 

SIR  —  -Yours  of  the  5th  inst.  requesting  me  to  give  you 
a  statement  respecting  the  late  disaster  at  Frenchtown^ 
was  duly  received.  Rest  assured,  sir,  that  it  is  with  sen* 
saitions  the  most  unpleasant,  that  I  uffeertake  torecount  the 
infamous  and  barbarous  conduct  of  the  British  and  Indians 
after  the  battle  of  the  23d  of  January.  The  blood  runs 
cold  in  my  veins  when  I  think  of  it,. 

On  the  morning  of  the  23d,  shortly  aftev  light,  six  or 
eight  Indians  came  to  the  house  of  Jean  Baptiste  Je- 
raume,  where  I  was  in  company  with  Major  Graves? 
Captains  Hart  and  Hick  man*  Doctor  Todd,  and  fifteen  or 
twenty  private  volunteers,  belonging  to  different  corps.— 
They  did  not  molest  any  person  or  thing.  on  their  first  ap 
proach,  but  kept  sauntering  about  until  there  were  a 
large  number  collected  (say  one  or  two  hundred)  at 
which  time  they  commenced  plundering  the  houses  of  the. 
inhabitants,  and  the  massacre  of  tlie  wounded  prisoners. 
I  was  one  amongst  the  first  that  was  taken  prisoner,  and 
was  taken  to  a  horse  about  twenty  paces  from  the  hcuse> 
after  being  divested  of  part  of  ray  clothing,  and  command 
ed  by  signs,  there  to  remain  for  further  orders.  Shortly 
after  being  there,  I  saw  them  knock  down  Captain  Hick- 
man  ^t  the  door,  together  with  several  others  with  whom. 
I  was  not  acquainted.  Supposing  a  general  massacre  had 
•.ommenced,  I  made  an  effort  to  get  to  an  house  about  one 
hundred  yards  distant,  which  contained  a  number  of 
wounded,  but,  on  my  reaching  the  house,  to  my  great 
mortification,  found  it  surrounded  by  Indians,  which  pre 
cluded  the  possibility  of  my.  givinjiptice.  to  the  unfortu 
nate  victims  of  savage  barbarity.  Kin  Indian  chief  of  the. 
T.atna  tribe,  by  the  name  of  Me  Cart  jr.  gave  me  possession 
of  his  horse,  and  blanket,  telling  me  by  signs,  to  lead  tfre^ 


140  BARBARITIES  QF 

horse  to  the  hofcj.se  which  I  had  just  before  left.  The  In 
dian  that  first  took  rne,  by  this  time  came  'up  and  mani 
fested  a  hostile  disposition  towards  me,  by  raising  his  tom 
ahawk  as -if  to  give  me  the  fatal  blow,  which  was  prevented 
by  my  very  good  friend  McCarty.  On  my  reaching  the 
house  which  I  had  at  first  started  from,  I  saw  the  Indians 
take  off  several  prisoners,  w  horn  I  afterwards  saw  in  the 
road,  in  a  most  mangled  condition,  and  entirely  stript  of 
their  cloth  in  g* . 

Mr.  Bradford,  Searis,  Turner  and  Blythe,  were  collect 
ed  round  a  carioie  vv'hkh  contained  articles  taken  by  the 
Indians  from  the. citizens*.  We- had  all  been  placed  there, 
by  our  respective  captors,  except  Blythe,  who  came  where 
•we  were,  entreating  an  Indian  to  convey  him  to  Maldeji, 
promising  to  give  him  forty  or  fifty  dollars,  and  whilst  in 
the  act  of  pleading  for  mercy,  an  Indian  more  savage  thau 
the  other,  stepped  up  behind,  tomahawked,  stripped  and 
scalped  him.  The  next  that  attracted  my  attention,  was 
the  houses  on  fire,  that  contained  several  woiyided  whom  I 
knew  were  net  able  to  rvt  out-.-  After  the  houses  were 
nearly  consumed,  we  received  marching  orders,  and  after 
arriving  at  Sandycreek  the  Indians  called  a  halt,  and  com 
menced  cooking  ;  after  preparing  and  eating  a  little  sweet 
ened  gruel,  Messrs.  Bradford,  Searis,  Turner  and  myself 
received  some,  and  were  eating,  when  an  Indian  came  up> 
£.nd  proposed  exchanging  his  mockasons  for  Mr.  Searis8 
shoes,  which  he  readily  complied  with.  They  then  ex 
changed  hats,  after  which  the  Indian  inquired  how  many 
men  Harrison  had  with  him,  and  at  the  same  time  calling 
Searis  a  Washington  or  Madison,  then  raised  his- toma 
hawk  and  struck  him  on  the  shoulder,  which  cut  into  the 
cavity  of  the  body.  Searis  then  caught  hold  of  the  toma 
hawk  and  appeared  to  resist,  and  upon  my  telling  him  that 
his  fate  was  inevitable,  he  closed  his  eyes,  and  received  the 
savage  blow,  which  terminated  his  existence.  I  was  near 
enough  to  him  to  receive  the  brains  and  blood,  after  the 
fatal  blow,  on  my  blankjBL  A  short  time  after  the  death  of 
Searis,  I  saw  three  others  share  Uie  same  fate.  We  then 
set  out  for  Brownstown,  which  place  we  reached  about  12 
or  1  o'clock  at  night.  After  being;  exposed  to  scveraihours 


THE  ENEMY.  Hi 

incessant  rain  in  reaching  that  place  we  were  put  into  the 
council  house,  the  floor  of  which  was  partly  covered  wiih 
water  ;  at  which  place  we  remained  until  next  morning, 
when  we  again  received  inarching  orders  for  their  village 
on  the  river  Rouge,  which  place  we  made  that  day,  where 
I  was  kept  six  days,  then  taken  to  Detroit  and  sold.  For 
a  more  detailed  account  of  the  proceedings,  1  take  the  lib 
erty  of  referring  you  to  a  publication  which  appeared  in 
the  publick  prints,  signed  by  ensign  I.  L.  Baker  ;  and  to 
the  publication  of  Judge  Woodward,  both  of  which  I"  have 
particularly  examined  and  find  to  be  literally  correct,  so  far 
as  came  under  my  notice. 

I  am  Sir,  with  due  regard, 
Your  fellow  citizen, 

GUSTAVUS  M.  BOWER. 
Surgcon*s  Mate,  Sf/i  rcgt.  Kentucky  -volunteers. 

Jessamine  county,  to  wit. 

This  day  Gus'avus  M.  Bower   personally  came  before 
me,  John  Metcalf,  one  of  the  commonwealth's  justices  of 
the  peace,  in  and  for  said   county,  and  made  oath  to   the 
truth  of  assertions  before  stated  by  the  said  Bower. 
Given  under  my  hand  this  84th  day  of  April,  1813. 

JOHN  METCALF. 
Jesse  Bledsoe,  Esq.  Lexington. 

Lexington,  AfayZd,  1813. 

SIR — -I  received  your  letter  some  time  since,  relative 
to  the  disastrous  affair  of  Frenchtown,  of  the  22d,  and  23d 
January  last.  For  the  particulars  of  the  action,  and  the 
terms  of  capitulation,  I  refer  you  to  the  official  report  ci' 
General  Winchester,  which  is  correct  as  far  as  came 
•within  my  knowledge.  After  the  capitulation,  I  w&i  in 
troduced  to  Colonel  Proctor,  the  commander  of  the  British 
forces  and  Indians,  as  one  of  the  surviviag  surgeons,  and 
by  him  was  requested  to  attend  to  £>ur  wounded,  who  were- 
left  on  the  ground  where  the  action  was  fought.  I  wil 
lingly  acquiesced,  and  Doctor  Bovvers  my  mate  remained 
•with  me  ;  at  the  same  time  I  informed  Colonel  Proctor  of 
xny  apprehensions  for  the  safety  of  the  wounded  and 'the 


142  BARBARITIES  OF 

surgeoas  ;  he  replied,  be  under  no  apprehensions ,  you  wiH 
be  perfectly  safe,  1  will  place  you  under  the  special  care 
of  the  chiefs  until  morning,  and  very  early  I  will  send  con 
veyances  for  the  wounded  and  yourself  to  Amherstburg0 
Shortly  after,  I  was  requested  to  ascertain  the  number  and. 
rank  of  the  wonnded,  and  in  so  doing  was  assisted  by  a 
British  officer  (whose  name  I  did  not  know)  to  whom  I 
likewise  communicated  my  apprehensions  of  safety  ;  he 
manifested  some  irritation  at  my  doubts  of  British  honour 
and  magnanimity,  and  assured  me  protection  would  be  af 
forded  me.  While  engaged  in  this  business)  one  of  the 
rooms  occupied  by  the  wounded  was  crowded  with  In 
dians,  who  were  peaceable,  but  one  of  them  who  could 
speak  English  admonished  the  British  officer  of  the  pro 
priety  of  stationing  interpreters  in  the  houses.  Upon  my 
return  from  this  business  to  the  room  I  occupied,  and 
which  was  sst  apart  for  the  wounded  officers,  I  met,  and 
was  made  acquainted  with  Captain  Elliot,  at  present-  a 
British  officer, -who  had  visited  Captain,  Hart  then  wound' 
ed.  Captain  Hart  was  solicitous  to  be  remove-d  that  ev* 
ening,  and  captain  Elliot  replied,  if  it  was  possible  (and 
every  exertion  shbuld  be  made)  lie  should,  and,  if  it  could 
not  be  effected  that  evening,  early  in  the  morning  he  would 
call  for  him  in  his  own  train  (sleigh)  and  convey  him  to 
his  own  house  la  Amherstbi:r<g,  where  he  should  remain 
until  recovered,  assuring  him,  repeatedly,  no  danger  wns 
to  be  apprehended,  and  if  possible,  he  would  remain  with 
him  that  night.  In  the .aftcruoon,  Captain  Elliot  and  ev 
ery  British  officer  left  the  encampment,  leaving  behind 
three  interpreters.  From  the  repeated  assurances,  my 
apprehensions  were  quieted  ;  far  who  could  doubt  ?-—•-—•• 
About  one  hour  before  day  light  (for  my  duties  required 
my  attention  nearly  all  the  night)  the  interpreters  sudden 
ly  disappeared.  About  an  hour  after  day  light,  the  In 
dians  began  to  collect  in  the  town,  and  commenced  plun 
dering  the  houses  in  whj^h  the  wounded  were  placed,  and 
then  stripped  them  and  myself  of  our  clothing.  At  this 
time  the  room  I  had  occupied,  was  crowded  with  Indians, 
and  Captain  Hart's  wound  already  painful,  being  injured 
by  them;  I  conveyed  him  to  an  adjoining  house  which 


THE  ENEMY.  14^ 

had  been  plundered  and  was  empty,  where  I  met  the  In 
dian  (whdfton  the  preceding  day  had  requested  that  in 
terpreters  should  be  left)  and  he  knew  my  rank.  He 
inquired  why  the  surgeons  were  left,  and  why  the  wound 
ed  were  left  ?  I  replied  it  was  the  wish  of  Colonel  Proctor 
we  should  remain  until  he  could  send  for  us  ;  and  captain 
Hart  informed  him  captain  Elliott  was  a  friend  of  his  and 
"A'as  to  call  for  him  that  morning.  He  shook  his  head 
significantly,  and  replied  they  were  damned  rascals,  or  we 
would  have  been  taken -oil' the  preceding  day.  The  In 
dian  informed  me  every  individual  would  be  killed,  and 
requested  me  to  be  quiet,  for  the  chiefs  were  then  in  coun 
cil  and,  "  may  be,"  only  the  wounded  would  be  killed* 
Captain  Hart  offered  him  one  hundred  dollars  to  take 
him  to  Maiden,  He  replied,  you  are  too  badly  wound 
ed.  \Vhilewe  were  conversing,  one  of  the  wounded  was 
tomahawked  at  our  feet.  Shortly  after,  the  Indian  re 
turned  and  told  me,  I  was  a  prisoner,  and  must  go.  I  was 
taken  by  the  Indian  to  the  house  I  had  left,  and  there  dis 
covered  that  captain  Hitchman  and  two  others  had  in 
r.\y  absence  been  tomahawked,  scalpt,  and  stript.  I  was 
lied  and  taken  by  this  Indian  toward  Maiden  about  four 
miles,  when  I  came  to  the  encampment  of  the  British 
wounded,  and  met  with  captain  Elliott  and  the  surgeon 
of  the  4  1st  regiment.  Captain  Elliott  immediately  recog- 
niseUme,  and  inquired  the  cause  of  my  situation.  I  in 
formed  him  what  had  taken  place,  and  requested  him  to 
send  back  immediately,  that  some  who  were  badly  wound 
ed  might  still  be  alive,  and  could  be  saved,  particularly 
named  captain  Hart,  for  whom  he  manifeted  much  friend 
ship.  Captain  Elliott  replied,  it  is  now  too  late,  you  may 
rest  assured  that  those  who  are  once  taken  by  the  Indians 
are  safe,  and  will  be  taken  to  Maiden,  and  those  who  are 
badly  wound  are  killed  ere  this.  I  replied,  many  are 
unable  to  walk,  and  some  will  be  killed  after  making  an 
effort  end  walking  several  miles,  who  might  be  saved  ;  to 
v/hich  he  replied,  charity  begins  at  home,  my  own  wound 
ed  ere  to  be  conveyed  first,  and  if  any  sleighs  remain, 
they  shall  be  sent  back  for  your  wounded.  My  anxiety 
to  get  some  persons  to  return,  in  hopes  of  saving  some  of 
the  prisoners,  induced  me  at  length  to  make  an  appeal  to 


144  BARBARITIES  OF 

their  avarice.  The  surgical  instruments  of  the  detach11 
ment  were  left  in  the  room  I  occupied,  and  1  iujprmed  the 
surgeon  of  their  value  and  importance  at  the  time;  he 
immediately  dispatched  an  interpreter  for  them,  \vho  re 
turned  with  the  information  that  they  were  destroyed  in 
the  burning  of  the  house,  and  gave  additional  information 
rf  the  massacre  of  the  wounded.  I  was  released  from  the 
Indians  by  Captain  Elliot  and  the  surgeon.  At  this 
time  my  brother  who  was  wounded,  and  several  others, 
•were  in  possession  of  the  Indians,  who  were  taking  them 
towards  Maiden.  I  requested  their  release,  and  permis 
sion  for  them  to  accompany  me  on  foot,  under  British  pro 
tection.  Captain  Elliot  told  me  it  was  impossible,  and  to 
be  under  no  fears  ;  they  were  safe  for  he  knew  the  fidel 
ity  of  the  Indians  with  whom  they  were.  When  the  in 
telligence  of  the  massacre  was  by  me  communicated  to 
Captain  Elliot  and  the  surgeon,  they  appeared  much  exas 
perated,  and  declared  it  was  impossible  to  restrain  the  sav 
ages.  The  cause  he  then  assigned  to  me  was,  that  when 
the  Indians  discovered  their  loss  "in  killed  and  wound 
ed,  and  that  of  the  British,  they  started  oft*  toward*  our 
wounded,  declared  they  would  have  satisfaction,  and,  he 
continued,  I  was  fearful  of  the  event.  During  the  plunder 
and  massacre,  our*  wounded  conducted  themselves  with 
the  utmost  composuie  and  resignation,  and  made  no  re 
sistance)  which  they  knew  would  be  fruitless,  and  destruc 
tion  to  all. 

It  was  asserted  by  colonel  Proctor,  in  a  conversation 
at  Amherstburg,  that  the  Indians  had  got  some  whiskey  in 
the  house  we  were  stationed,  and  had  become  intoxi 
cated.  That  the  Indians  may  have  had  some  whiskey,  I 
shall  not  deny,  but  I  think  I  can  safely  say,  that  they 
did  not  procure  it  there,  and  that  was  not  the  cause  of 
the  massacre,  for  on  the  preceding  days  and  subsequent 
to  the  action  of  the  18th,  I  wanted  some  spirits,  and  made 
application  to  the  house-keeper,  who  assured  me  there  was 
none  about  the  house,  for  it  was  all  consumed  by  the  Brit 
ish  and  Indians  who  had  quartered  in  the  house  prior  to 
the  action  of  the  18th  ;  besides  the  Indians  shewed  no 
manifestation  of  drunkeness  ,  their  deliberate  pilfering 


THE  ENEMY.  US 

and  their  orderly  conduct  throughout,  was  not  such  as 
•would  be  expected  from  drunken  Indians, 

Upon  my  arrival  at  Maiden  I  was  again  solicited  to 
take  charge  of  the  wounded,  the  surgery  was  opened  to 
me,  and  1  had  the  use  of  the  medicines  and  dressings  ne 
cessary,  and  they  had  as  comfortable  rooms  as  could  be 
procured.  During  our  s*ay  in  Maiden  some  eight  or  ten 
•  of  the  wounded  were  brought  in  by  the  Indians  ;  several 
made  their  escape  who  were  doomed  to  massacre,  and 
found  protection  with  the  inhabitants  of  the  territory,  who 
brought  them  into  Maiden,  and  several  made  their  escape, 

wandered  in  and  delivered  themselves  up  at  the  fort. 

Prior  to  our  leaving  Maiden,  one  poor  fellow  was  brought 
in  scalped  alive  by  the  Indians  and  delivered  up  to  the 
British,  but  before  I  reached  him,  death  put  an  end  to 
'his  sufferings.  I  frequently,  and  on  every  occasion,  urg 
ed  the  British  officers  to  exert  themselves  and  procure 
the  release  of  the  wounded  from  the  Indians,  urging1  the 
necessity  of  having  their  wounds  dressed.  In  a  conver 
sation  on  this  subject  with  captain  Elliott,  and  while  urg 
ing  it,  he  replied,  the  Indians  are  excellent  surgeons.  The 
prisoners  were  all  marched  off  to  sandwich  after  remain 
ing  a  few  days  at  Maiden,  and  I  was  called  upon  to  know 
how  many  from  their  wounds  were  unable  to  march  ;  who 
had  sleighs  furnished  them,  which  was  the  case  during  the 
march  to  Fort  George.  Before  I  conclude,  I  must  say 
that  the  terms  of  capitulationjwcre  violated  in  every  partic 
ular  by  the  enemy.  The  wounded  were  not  protected  ; 
private  property  was  not  held  sacred  ;  and  our  side  arms 
were  not  restored.  With  a  few  exceptions,  I  was  treated 
respectfully  by  the  British  officers,  save  the  abuse  which 
was  lavished  on  my  government,  and  that  was  by  no  means 
sparingly  bestowed. 

I  am,  respectfully,  Sec. 

JOHN  TODD,  M.  D, 
and  late  surgeon  to  the  5th  rcgt.  of  Kentucky 

volunteer  militia. 
The  Hon*  Jesse  Bltdeoc. 


146  BARBARITIES  OF 

The  commonwealth  of  Kentucky ,    ~) 

Fayette  county^  $    ss' 

This  day  Doctor  John  Todd  came  before  me,  John  H. 
Morton,  a  justice  of  the  peace  for  said  county,  and  made 
oath,  that  the  facts  stated  in  the  foregoing  letter  are  sub 
stantially  true  to  the  best  of  his  knowledge. 

Given  under  my  hand  this  3d  day  of  May,  1813. 

JOHN  II.  MORTON. 

State  of  Kentucky )  Pendleton  county ,  in  the  town  of 

Falmouth. 

On  the  21st  day  of  April,  1813, 1,  John  Dawson,  an  or 
derly  serjeunt  in  captain  Glard's  company  of  the  .first 
regimen i  Kentucky  volunteer  militia  being  detailed  off 
r.ncl  attached  to  captain  \\  rjcl  Seabrees*  company,  and 
was  in  .he  battle  of  the  1 8th  January,  and  did  not  receive  a 
wound,  but  on  the  22d,  about  Q  o'clock,  received  a  shot 
under  the  right  arm,  which  lodged  between  the  ribs. — ^ 
After  the  capitulation  of  our  troops,  there  came  a  paymas 
ter  of  the  British  army  in  the  house  where  I  was,  to  take 
ihe  number  of  wounded  that  was  in  the  house,  I  asked  what 
•\vasto  be  done  with  us;,  he  replied  don't  make  yourself 
uneasy  about  that,  you  shall  be  protected  this  night  by  ? 
^irong  guard  which  shall  be  left  with  you.  But  to  my  sad 
misfortune,  I  foiiod  there-were  but  three  interpereters  left, 
fcnd  in  the  night  in  overtook  two  of  them  away,  and  in 
the  morning  the  other  one  said  he  could  not  talk  Indian.— - 
£>o  when  the  Indians  came  in  the  morning,  they  broke  open 
the  doors  of  the  hoMses,  bep;an  to  tomahawk,  scalp  and 
plunder,  then  set  fire  to  the  houses  which  contained  the 
prisoners  ;  \vkh  this  I  got  up,  put  on  my  great  coat  put 
iip  my  knapsack,  and  went  out  of  doors.  I  had  not  been 
out  more  than  one  minu'c,  before  an  Indian  came  up  to 
ine  and  took  a  coat  off  my  back,  also  another  Indian. 
tuSd  me  to  put  my  knapsack  in  Ms  sled  ;  I  did  so.  At 
tills  time  major  Graves  and  captain  11  art  were  out  in  the 
yii-.rd.  I  heard  captain  Hart  make  a  bargain  with  an  In 
dian  to  take  him  to  Maiden,  which  the  Indian  agreed  to 
clo  for  the  sum  of  one  hundred  dollars.  I  saw  the  In 
dian  put  a  pair  of  socks  on  Hart  and  put  him  on  a  horse.; 
tliis  was  the  last  1  saw  of  Hart.  I  then  saw  a  man  riding 


THE  ENEMY.  H* 

%vliom  I  thought  was  a  British  officer.  I  made  to  him, 
hut  found  that  he  was  an  Indian,  who  was  aid-de-camp 
to  general  Roundhead  ;  he  had  with  him  when  I  came  up 
twelve  men.  It  was  at  the  mouth  of  a  lane  where  I 
overtook  him,  where  there  were  two  Indians  scalping  two 
Tnen  ;  he  hallooed  to  them  to  give  way  ;  they  did  so.  Af 
ter  this,  we  went  on,  and  on  Sandy  creek,  about  3  miles 
!Yom  the  battle  ground,  I  saw  major  Graves  in  an  Indian 
sleigh  ;  this  is  the  last  account  of  him  that  I  could  ascer 
tain.  We  went  on  that  night  to  Brownstown,  and  in  the 
morning  of  the  34th,  a  man  gave  out  walking,  with  the 
rheumatick  pains,  who  was  by  the  name  of  Downey.  The 
Indians  tomahawked  him  and  then  stript  him.  We  then 
marched  on  above  Detroit  on  the  river  Rouge.  1  stay 
ed  with  them  several  days,  they  then  took  me  into  Detroit 
(leaving  a  young  man  in  the  camp  by  the  name  of  Juhn 
Davenport)  and  sold  me  to  ?»i«jor  Muir.  who  commands 
fort  Detroit.  I  then  was  -sent  over  to  'Sandwich,  tli 
stayed  until  the  8ih  of  February  :  they  marched  me  to 
fort  George,  and  me  on  tlie  19th  of  February, 

1313,     The   above   is   a  true    statement  as  far  as  1  si<v/, 
though  1  saw  numbers  massacred  that  i  did  not  know. 

During  my  confinement  with  the  Indians,  whilst  at 
their  cum  ps,  they  shewed  more  humanity  than  the  Biit- 
ish. 

Given  under  my  hand  this  21st  day  of  -April,  1813. 

JOHN  DAWbON. 


n,  cour.fyy  $s. 

1,  William  Mountjoy,  one  of  the  common  wealth's  jus 
tices  of  the  peace  for  the  state  of  Kentucky,  in  and  for  said 
county,  do  certify  that  the  foregoing  certificate  of  John 

jn,  was  written,  subscribed  and  sworn  to  before  me. 
Given  under  my  hand  this  21st  day  of  April,   18  i  3, 

Ww.  MGUJSTJOY. 

State  of  Kentucky^  Pcndleton  county,  in  the  town  of  Fat- 

mouth* 

On  the  2  1st  day  of  April,  1813,  I  Thomas  Pollard, 
a  private  of  captain  Glave's  company  of  the  first  Regi 
ment  of  Kentucky  volunteer  militia,  was  in  buttles  iouA^t 


148  BARBARITIES  OF 

«M 

with  the  British  and  Indian  army,  on  the  18th  anil  22d 
of  January  last,  at  the  river  Raisin,  and  after  the  sur 
render  of  our  army  as  prisoners  of  war,  on  the  23d,  upon 
the  assurances  of  the  British  officers  promising  protection 
to  my  wounded  fellow  soldiers,  and  that  thc'y  would  send 
carioles  for  them  the  next  day,  although  I  had  received 
»o  injury  in  either  of  the  actions  fought  on  the  18th  and 
22d,  I  Voluntarily  staid  to  assist  and  comfort  my  mess- 
matey,  John  Dawson  and  Albert  Ammerman  and  Jesse 
Green,  all  of  whom  had  received  wounds  by  balls. 

1  have  first  examined  the  statement  made  and  sworn 
to,  by  John  Dawson,  hereto  annexed,  and  witnessed  every 
circumstance  therein  stated  to  be  truly  staled  within  my 
own  knowledge.  The  Indian  who  bargained  with  captain 
Hart,  to  take  him  to  fort  Maiden  for  one  hundred  dollais, 
and  took  charge  of  him—  put  him  on  a  horse  and  started 
on  his  way  ;  spoke  good  enough  the  English  tongue  for  us 
to  understand  the  contract. 

THOMAS  POLLARD. 

PENDLETQN  COUNTY,  ss. 

I  William  Mcuiujoy,  one  of  the  commonwealth's  jus 
tices  of  the  peace  for  the  state  of  Kentucky,  in  and  for 
said  county,  do  certify  that  the  foregoing  certificate  of 
Thomas  Pollard*  was  subscribed  and  sworn  to  before  me. 

Given  under  my  hand  this  21st  April,  IB  13. 

WM.  MOUNTJOY. 


State  of  Kentucky^  Pendleton  County^   in  the  town  q 

mouth. 

On  the  2  1st  day  of  April,  1813,  I  Albert  Ammerman, 
a  private  o'f  captain  Glave's  company  of  the  first  regi 
ment  of  Kentucky  volunteer  militia,  being  wounded  in. 
the  battle  of  the  18th  January  last,  at  the  river  Raisin. 
by  a  bail  in  the  flesh  of  the  thigh  ;  and  from  the  window 
of  the  house  which  was  appropriated  for  an  hospital,  was 
a  witness  tb  the  battle  of  the  22d  of  the  same  month  ;  and 
after  the  surrender,  I,  being  but  slightly  wounded,  pro 
posed  marching  with  the  rest  of  the  prisoners,  and  was 
prevented  by  the  order  of  a  British  officer,  who  said  that 
a  guard  would  be  left  to  tokc  care  of  the  wounded,  and 


THE  ENEMY.  149 

carioles  would  be  sent  for  them  to  ride  in  to  Maiden, 
on  the  next  morning.  But  to  my  astonishment  no  guard 
was  left,  and  aboat  sunrise  on  the  morning  of  the  23d,  a 
party  of  Indians  returned  to  the  Hospital,  and  the  first 
Indian  that  carne  to  the  room  I  was  lodged  in,  could 
speak  the  English  language.  He  was  asked  by  one  of 
the  wounded  what  was  to  be  done  with  the  wounded.  He 
replied  they  were  all  to  be  killed  that  could  not  walk  ; 
and  shortly  after  a  general  massacre  commenced...  I  in 
stantly  put  on  my  knapsack,  and  went  out  of  the  house  ; 
my  knapsack  was  demanded  by  an  Indian  at  the  door,  to 
whom  I  gave  it.  He  conducted  me  to  a  log  some  little 
distance  from  the  house,  on  which  I  sat  down,  where  1 
witnessed  the  butchery  of  many  of  my  fellow  citizens — • 
sufferers  by  the  tomahawk  and  scalping  knife  ;.  and  to  fin 
ish  the  scene,  set  fire  to  the  houses  occupied  by  the  wound 
ed  prisoners,  many  of  them  struggling  in  the  arms  of 
death,  put  their  heads  out  of  the  windows  whilst  envelop 
ed  in  smoke  and  flames.  After  this  bloody  work  was 
finished.  I  was  marched  off  on  the  direction  towards 
Brownstown,  by  an  Indian,  and  when  about  half  a  iiiiie 
from  I'Yenchtown  on  our  way,  was  overtaken  by  two  In 
dians,  who  had  captain  Hart  in  custody,  mounted' en  a 
horse.  As  -they  approached  nearly  to  us,  I  noticed  they 
were  speaking  loud  and  animated  as  if  in  a  quarrel,  but 
not  understanding  their  language  did  not  understand  what 
passed  between  them,  but  thiak  it  is  probable  that  the 
quarrel  was  occasioned  respecting  one  hundred  dollars 
which  I  understood  captain  Hart  had  given  to  one  of  the 
Indians  afore  said,  to  convey  him  to  fort  Maiden.  The 
quarrel  appeared-  to  grow  very  warm,  so  much  so,  that 
tiie  Indians  took  aim  at  each  other  with  their  guns  and 
as  if  to  settle  the  dispute  it  appeared  to  me  as  if  they  had 
mutually  agreed  to  kill  captain  Hart  and  plunder  him  of 
the  rest  of  his  money  and  effects,  which  they  did,  by  taking 
him  off  his  horse,  then  knocked  him  down  with  a  war  club, 
scalped  and  tomahawked  him,  and  slript  him  nuked,  leav 
ing  his  body  on  the  ground.  I, Was  gratified  in  observin:.; 
that,  during  the  scene  of  liLJ,  tuple. in  Hart  refrained 
Irani  supplication  or  in're^iy,  but  i;ppe»rcd  perfectly 
?  2 


150  BARBARITIES  OF 

calm  and  collected.  lie  met  his  fate  with  that  firmness 
which  was  his  particular  characteristic.  No  other  pris 
oner  of  our  army  of  the  United  States  was  present  to  wit 
ness  this  melancholly  scene,  the  death  of  captain  Hart, 
During  my  captivity  with  the  Indians,  five  days  only,  I  was 
treated  with  more  hospitality  than  I  hud  any  reason  to  ex 
pect,  much  more  so  than  I  experienced  from  the  British, 
after  I  was  ransomed  at  Detroit,  by  Mr.  Benjamin  Chit- 
tenden,  who  will  ever  be  entitled  to  my  utmost  gratitude  j 
by  him  I  was  humanely  treated,  and  also  by  some  of  the 
French  Canadians, 

his 

ALBERT  X  AMMERMAN. 
mark. 

PENDLKTON    COUNTY,  SS. 

I,  William  Mountjoy,  one  of  the  commonwealths5  justi 
ces  of  the  peace,  for  the  state  of  Kentucky,  in  and  for  said 
county,  do  certify' the  foregoing  certificate  of  Albert  Am- 
xnerman,  was  subscribed  and  sworn  to  before  rne. 

Given  under  my  hand  this  2  1st  day  of  April,  1813. 

Wat.   MOUNTJOY. 


Lexington^  dPiril  13//2,  1813. 

SIF< — You  request  of  me  a  statement  of  facts  within 
rny  own  knowledge,  concerning  the  murder  of  our  men 
after  the  battle  find  surrender  at -Frer.chlown. 

I  v/a.5  one  of  ihose  who  was  taken,  by  the  Indians  on 
the  retreat,  about  one  and  a  half  miles  from  where  the 
action  first  commenced,  Just  before  we  were  taken3 
with  the  assistance  of  lieutenant  Chinn,  belonging  to  the 
militia,  I  formed  between  fifteen  and  twenty  men,  I  then 
discovered  the  inthans  running  upon  us  on  each  side  and 
in  front,  about  sixty  ic  number,  with,  their  arms  at  a  trail. 
I  discovered  there  was  no  chance  to  repel  them.  I.  order 
ed  the  men  to  ground  their  arms,  which  was  done  ;  the 
Indians  then  came  up  and  secured  the  arm*  of  our  men^ 
and  shot  them,  including  the  lieutenant  before  mentioned! 
I  was  the  only  one  saved.  I  was  taken  and  delivered  up  to 
colonel  Eiiictt,  a  British  officer. 


'THE  ENEMY.  151 

As  to  the  murder  of  the  wcunde J,  I  know  nothing  of 
my  own  knovviedge. 

Your  obedient  servant, 

A.  GARUETT. 
Hon.  Jesse  Bledsoe. 

Fayette  County  S3. 

This  day  lieutenant  Ash  ton  Garrett,  of  the  1 7th  regi 
ment  U.  S.  Infantry*  came  before  me,  and  made  oath  that 
the  foregoing  statement  is  just  and  true  to  the  best  of  his 
knowledge  and  belief. 

Given  under  my  hand  this  thirteenth  day  of  April,  1813. 

J,  H.  MORTON,  J.  P. 

State  of  Kentucky    > 
Fayette  County.     3 

Personally  appeared  before  me,  a  Justice  *f  the  Peace 
for  the  county  aforesaid,  Charles  Bradford,  an  inhabitant 
of  the  town  of  Lexington,  state  of  Kentucky,  who  be 
ing  duly  sworn  on  the  Holy  Evangelists-,  deposeth  and 
saith,  that  he  was  in  the  actions  at  the  river  Raisin,  on 
the  18th  and  22cl  of  January  last,  that  he  was  wounded 
in  the  right  hip  and  remained  at  Frenchtown  after  the 
capitulation  ;  that  on  the  22d  before  the  prisoners  (who 
were  able  to  walk)  were  marched  for  Maiden,  he  saw 
captain  William  Elliott,  with  whom  he  had  been  former 
ly  acquainted,  and  of  whom  he  enquired  personally,  what 
would  be  done  with  the  wounded  prisoners  ?  Whether 
they  would  be  taken  to  Maiden  that  evening  with  the  other 
prisoners  or  not  ?  he  said  they  would  not  be  taken  to  Mai 
den  that  evening)  but  a  strong  guard  would  be  left  to  pro 
tect  them  against  any  outrage  the  Indians  might  be  disposed 
to  commit.  Elliott  had  a  similar  conversation  with  major 
Graves,  captains  Hart  ami  Hickman,  and  doctors  Todd 
and  Bowers,  in  the  presence  of  this  deponent.  He,  El- 
Jiott,  further  stated  that  sleighs  would  be  sent  to  convey 
the  wounded  to  Maiden  the  next  morning.  This  depo 
nent  further  says  that  the  British  marched  away  ;  no 
guard  was  left  to  protect  the  wounded,  and  that  captain 
Elliott,  v/hen  asked  the  reason,  observed  that  some  inter 
preters  were  left  whose  influence  among  the  Indians  was 
greater,  e,nd  that  they  were  better  able  to  protect  us  than 


152  BARBARITIES  OF 

a  guard.  About  two  or  three  o'clock  in  the  morning  of 
the  23d  January,  this  deponent  discovered  that  the  in 
terpreters  had  left  the  house  in  which  he  was,  and  he 
never  saw  them  afterwards  ;  that  between  day-light  and 
sun-rise,  on  the  23d,  he  saw  a  large  number  of  Indians 
come  to  the  house,  they  burst  open  the  door,  and  in  a  few 
minutes  commenced  plundering  the  prisoners,  and  toma 
hawking  those  who  were  unable  to  walk.  This  deponent 
left  the  house  as  soon  as  possible  and  went  into  the  yard, 
where  a  number  of  his  fellow  prisoners  had  assembled; 
he  was  there  claimed  as  a  prisoner  by  an  Indian,  who 
gave  him  some  articles  to  hold  whilst  he  plundered  more. 
At  this  time  he  was  standing  with  Doctor  Bowers  and 
James  E.  Blythe,  when  an  Indian  without  any  provoca 
tion,  tomahawked  Blythe  and  scalped  him.  Shortly  after, 
they  (the  Indians)  set  fire  to  the  houses  in  which  the 
wounded  had  been  quartered,  and  burnt  them  down,  with 
the  bodies  of  those  whom  they  had  murdered.  This  de 
ponent  was  then  taken  by  the  Indians,  in  company  with 
Doctor  Bovver,  Charles  Searls,  Julius  Turner,  and  sev 
eral  others  to  Sandy  Creek  ;  that  on  the  way  he  saw  a 
number  of  the  prisoners  who  had  been  tomahawked  ;  that 
whilst  at  Sandy  Creek,  they  murdered  Charles  Pearls, 
Thomas  S.  Crow,  and  three  or  four  others  ;  that  this 
deponent  was  then  packed  with  forty  or  fifty  pounds 
•weight  and  taken  to  the  river  Rouge,  where  the  Indians 
had  encamped  ;  that  whilst  he  was  there  he  enquired  of 
an  Indian  whether  he  would  t^.ke  him  to  Muldcn,  as  he 
wished  to  be  given  to  colonel  Elliott.  The  Indian  said  if 
colonel  Elliott  told  him  to  do  so  he  would,  as  they  always 
did  as  he  requested  them.  This  deponent  was  six  days 
with  the  Indians  before  they  took  him  to  Detroit,  where 
he  was  purchased  by  Stephen  Mack  and  Oliver  W. 
Miller,  for  eighty  dollars  ;  that  the  British  officer  com 
manding  at  Detroit  (Major  Muir)  again  claimed  him  as 
a  British  prisoner,  notwithstanding  his  havins;  just  been 
ransomed  from  their  allies,  by  his  own  countrymen,  and 
sent  him  to  Sandwich,  where  he  remained  until  the  9th 
or  l@th  February,  when  he  was  sent  to  fort  George, 
and  there  paroiled.  This  deponent  states,  that  whilst  a 
prisoner  at  Sandwich,  he  wus  severed  tiuies  treated  ir  • 


THE  ENEMY,"  153 

fluitingly  by  the  British  officers,  and  by  one  John  M* 
Gregor  ;  that  the  citizens  generally  treated  the  prison 
ers  with  kindness  and  attention,  as  far  as  was  in  their  pow 
er. 

This  being  the  first  opportunity  the  deponent  has  had, 
of  expressing  his  gratitude  to- the  American  citizens,  who 
treated  the  prisoners  with  so  much  friendship  and  human 
ity  at  Detroit,  cannot  refrain  from  so  doing.  And  as  long1, 
as  he  lives,  the  names  of  Messrs.  Mackljf Miller,  Smart, 
Wood  wa«!,  Williams,  M'Donald,  Hunt,  Mays,  &c.  shall 
never  be  forgotton. 

CIIAS.  BRADFORD. 

Sworn  and  subscribed  to  before  me,  this  29th  day  of  A- 
priii  1813, 

O,  KIEN,  J.  P, 

(Copy)  ^ 

United  States3  skip  Madison* 
Sackett's  Harbour,  4th  Juno.,  1813. 

SIR— -I  have  the  honour  to  present  you,  by  the  hands  of 
Lieutenant  Dudley,  the  British  standard,  taken  at  York, 
on  the  27th  of  April  last,  accompanied  by  the  mace,  over 
which  was  filing  a  human  scalfi. 

Tiievi  articles  were  taken  from  the  parliament  house 
by  one  of  my  officers,  and  presented  to  me.  The  scalp  I 
caused  to  bq|prescnted  to  General  Dearborn,  who  I  be 
lieve,  still  has  it  in  his  possession.  I  also  sefid,  by  the 
same  gentleman,  one  of  the  British  flags  taken  at  Fort 
George  on  the  27th  of  May. 

I  have  the  honour  to  be, 
Very  respectfully,  Sir, 
Your  most  obt.  humble  servt. 

ISAAC  CHAUNCEYo 

Hon.  William  Jones,  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  Washing 
ton. 

A  true  copy  from  the  original,  filed  in  the  Navy  Depart 
ment,  July  22d,  1313. 

W.  JONES, 


U4  BARBARITIES  OF 

ADDENDA/ 

WASHINGTON  CITY j  July  £0. 

from    lliliam   Berry>   midalnpman  in   the  frigate   Chesa 
peake, 

SIR— .1  consider  myself  bound  to  lay  before  you  what 
came  under  my  knowledge  while  on  board  the  Chesa 
peake,  as  well  as  on  board  the  Shannon. 

After  the  enHhy  had  complete  possession  of  the  ship, 
midshipman  Randolph  and  Flushman  were  ordered  from 
the  fore  and  main-top.  In  coming  down  the  shrowds,  Lt. 
Falkner  (the  British  officer)  said  to  his  men,  kill  those 
damned  rascals.  Then,  and  immediately,  several  mus 
kets  were  discharged  at  them,  but  without  effect.  My 
station  was  in  the  mizen-top,  where  I  had  an  opportunity 
of  seeing  their  actions.  I  was  looking  on  deck  when  I 
saw  one  of  the  Chesapeake's  men  crawl  ing*along,  attempt 
ing  to  get  below  with  one  oQiis  legs  off.  One  of  theetie- 
my  stepped  ufi  to  himwith  his  cutlass^  and  immediately  put 
an  end  to  his  tx't&tencc.  Liieut.  Fulkner  looked  up  in  the 
mizen-top;  pointed  at  me,  and  said  to  Isis  men,  go  up 
three  of  you,  and  throw  that  damned  Yankee  overboard. — = 
They  immediately  rushed  up,  seizing  me  by  the  collar, 
new,  said  they,  you  damned  Yankee,  you  shall  Ifcvim  for  it? 
attempting  to  throw  me  overboard  ;  but  I  got  'within  the 
rigging,  when  one  of  them  kicked  me  in* the  breast, 
which  was  the  cause  of  my  falling  ;  being  stunned  by  the 
fall,  I  lay  some  time  senseless,  and  luhen  1  came  to,  I  was 
cut  over  the  head  with  a  cutl&ss,  which  nearly  terminated 
my  existence.  Eleven  of  our  midshipmen  were  confined 
in  a  small  place,  nine  feet  by  six,  with  an  old  sail  to  lie  on, 
and  a  guard  at  the  door,  until  a  day  or  two  before  our  ar 
rival  at  Halifax  ;  and  like  wise  eleven  of  us  upon  five  ra 
tions,  and  some  days  only  one  meal.  Our  clothes  were 
taken  on  board  of  the  Shannon;  lieutenant  Wallis,  the 
commanding  officer  on  board,  would  not  let  us  take  our 
clothes  below  with  us,  butpledged  his  word  and  honor  as  an 
officer,  we  should  receive  our  clothes.  But  we  discovered 
next  morning  that  their  midshipmen  had  »n  our  clothes 
'  and  side  arms.  We  were  conversing  together  respecting 
our  clothes — one  of  their  midshipmen  overheard  our  ecu- 


THE  ENEMY.  155 

))  and  made  a  report  to  the  lieutenant  command 
ing.  He  then  sent  -word  to  us,  that  if  we  said  any  thing 
more  about  the  clothes,  he  would  put  us  in  the  fore-hold 
•with  the  men.  We  expected  to  receive  our  clothes,  when 
we  arrived  in  port,  but  1  assure  you,  sir,  nothing  was  ever 
restored.  Other  rascally  things  occurred^  which  our  offi 
cers  will,  when  they  return,  make  known  to  the  publick, 
disgraceful  to  a  civilized  nation.  If  your  request  could  have 
been  made  sooner,  I  should  have  felt  gratified  in  making  a 
fuller  statement. 

I  have  the  honour  to  be,  with  the  highest  respect, 

WILLIAM  BERRY, 
Hon.  L,.  Condi  f-,   Washington. 

Another  circumstance  took  place  on  board,  which  en 
tirely  escaped  my  memory  until  this  moment.  Several  of 
the  officers  had  money  taken  from  them  which  they  re 
ceived  from  the  Chesapeake  as  prize  money.  Mr.  Hig~ 
inbotham,  as  nearly  as  I  can  recollect,  had  upwards  of  ISO 
dollars. 


GEORGETOWN,  July  30,  1813. 

Sm — Having  perused  a  letter  of  yours  to  Berry,  re 
questing  in  formation  respecting  the  treatment  of  the  Amer 
ican  cfiicers  and  seamen  of  the  late  Chesapeake.  I  consid 
er  myself  bound,  sir,  to  lay  before  you -what  came  under 
my  knowledge.  My  having  been  wounded  and  remain 
ing  on  board  the  Chesapeake,  might  not  give  me  that  scope 
for  observation  which  others  possessed  ;  but  I  am  sorry  to 
say  many  things  tf&ns/iired)  disgraceful  to  the  character  of 
i  brave  enemy.  Whilst  undressing  myself  in  the  steer 
age,  after  the  Americans  were  delivered  below  or  had  sur 
rendered,  *intl  after  resistance  had  ce-astd,  I  believe  entire 
ly,  several  muskets  and  pistols  were  at  once  pointed 
dovtn  the  hatchway,  and  discharged  in  the  direction  of  the 
cockpit  ;  and  as  the  steerage  and  cockpit  were  filled 
with  wounded,  in  all  probability  some  of  them  wnre  killed 
outright.  It  was  midshipman  Hopewell,  and  not  Livings 
ton,  who  was  so  inhumanly  treated,  as  described  in  the 
publick  prints.  It  has  been  the  custom  in  our  navy  fo  take 
the  side  arms  of  officers  (prisoners)  but  to  restore  them 


'»6  BARBARITIES  OF 

en  their  leaung  the  ship.  Outs  were  taken,  worn,  and 
never  restored,  together  with  what  nautical  instruments 
they  could  lay  their  hands  on.  When  spoken  to  by  the 
American  officers  on  the  subject,  the  answer  was,  such 
things  were  fret  plunder,  A  day  or  two  after  the  ac';:n, 
I  was  conversing  with  Lieutenant  Budd  and  Mr.  Nichols, 
near  the  taffel,  respecting  the  engagement,  when  it  was 
observed  some  of  the  Shannon's  men  were  listening  to  our 
conversation.  Immediately  after,  lieutenant  ralkner,  the 
commanding  officer,  ordered  centincls  to  be  placed  at  the 
mizen  mast.  And,  said  he  to  them,  if  you  see  any  of  the 
Chesapeake's  officers  abaft  the  mizen-mastj  cut  them 
clown  ;  if  you  see  them  conversing  together,  cut  them, 
down  without  hesitation. 

.  It  will  be  remembered  the  three  officers  who  causedthis 
order  were  all  severely  wounded.  We  received  no  cau 
tion  and  overheard  it  by  accident.  So  great  was  the  rage 
for  plunder,  that  Captain  Lawrence  before  his  death, 
could  not  obtain  a  bottle  of  wine  from  his  private  sea 
stores,  without  a  note  from  the  doctor  to  the  lieutenant  com 
manding.  I  pass  over  the  robbing  of  the  midshipmen  on 
board  the  Shannon,  as  it  did  not  come  under  my  immedi 
ate  notice.  If  your  request  could  have  been  made  earli 
er,  I  should  have  felt  gratified  in  making  a  fuller  state~ 
ment. 

Yours  respectfully, 

W»i.  A.  WEAVER. 
Hon.  LEWIS  CONDIT,    Washington. 


His  Majesty's  Ship.  San 

Chesapeake,  May  10th,  18  VS. 
SIB, — 

I  have  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your  letter  of 
the  8th  instant,  respecting  a  man  named  O'Neale,  taken 
by  the  detachment  from  the  squadron  under  the  orders 
of  rear  Admiral  Cockburn.  This  man  has  been  released 
upon  the  application  of  the  magistrates  of  Havre  dc  Gracej 
on  parole* 


THE  ENEMY.  157 

I  was  not  informed  of  this  man  being  an  Irishman,  or 
he  would  certainly  have  been  detained  to  account  to  his 
sovereign  and  country,  for  being  in  arms  against  the  Brit 
ish  colours. 

I  have  the  honour  to  be,  Sir, 

Your  most  obedient  humble  servant, 
JOHN  BORLASE  WARREN. 

•  ]3rig*Gen.   Mitter,  commanding  the    United  States  for ce fy 
oV,  yV..&V.  .Baltimore, 


o 


SUPPLEMENTARY, 

Important  Documents, 

The  subjoined  documents  were  found  among  Gen.  Proc 
tor's  papers,  taken  at  the  battle  of  the  Thames  :  We 
give  them  a  place  in  the  present  volume  under  a  con 
viction  that  every  American  into  whose  hands  it  may 
fall  will  view  it  (as  we  do)  as  a  record  worth  preserv 
ing  and  that  they  w ill  be  perused  with  no  small  degree 
of  interest. 

Copy  of  a  letter  from  Sir  George  PrevosT,  to- Commodore 
Sir  James  Lucas  Yeo. 

Head  Quarters,  Kingston,  > 
19th  September,  1813.  J 
Sin, 

The  centre  divison  of  the  Upper  Canada  army  is  placed 
in  a  situation  very  critical,  and  one  novel  in  the  system  of 
war  ;  that  of  investing  a  force  vastly  superior  in  numbers, 
within  a  strongly  intrenched  position.  It  was  adopted  and 
has  been  maintained  Irom  a  confident  expectation,  that 
with  the  co-operation  of  the  squadron  under  your  com 
mand,  a  combined  attack  ere  this,  could  have  been  effected  on 
the  enemy,  at  Fort  George,  with  every  prospect  .of  success. 
To  the  local  disadvantages  of  the  positions  occupied  by  our 
army,  have  nnhsppily  been  added  disease  and  desertion  to 
a  degree,  calling  for  immediate  remedy.  You  are,  there 
fore,  required  to  proceed  with  the  fleet  under  your  com- 
rrur.d  wiih  the  least  possible  dcl.K/,  to  the  head  of  the  lake, 
affording  sufficient  convoy  to  the  small  vessels  containing 
those  stores  and  supplies  of  which  the  army  is  in  the  most 
probing  want.  Upon  your  arrival  near  the  head  quarters 
of  the  centre  tiivision,  you  will  consult  with  major-general 
De  Rottenburg,  who  will  unite  in  his  person,  the  civil  and 
military  command  in  Upper  Canada,  upon  my  withdraw 
ing  from  the  province,  or  upon  the  eligibility  of  a  combin 
ed  attack,  for  the  purpose  of  Jif*lodi>ir,g  the  enemy  from 


THE  ENEMY,  159 

Ihe  position  of  Fort  George,  by  a  rapid  forward  movement 
of  the  army,  bringing  up  in  battery  at  the  same  timej  the 
heavy  ordnance,  mortars  and  howitzers  now  embarked.—* 
This  attack  must  be  supported  by  the  countenance  of  your 
squadron,  and  the  fire  ot  such  vessels  as  are  armed  with  a 
description  of  ordnance  favourable  to  it.  Should  this  at 
tempt  appear  to  youta  be  attended  with  too  great  hazard 
to  the  squadron,  under  the  possible  circumstance  of  the 
enemy  appearing  on  the  luke,  you  will  in  that  case  dis 
tinctly  state  your  sentiments  to  major-general  De  Rotten1* 
burg,  who  will  immediately  upon  ascertaining*  your  inabil 
ity  to  assist  him,  take  measures  for  evacuating  the  position  he 
now  occupies.  In  the  execution  of  which  movement)  you 
"will  g'i\e  hi;;  anuy  every  support  and  •_; ssisiance  consistent 
with  the  safety  of  your  vesstiis  ;  am!  huvim;  peiibvnied  this 
service,  you  \vill  pursue  such  n;c;v.-.iy TS,  a-s  shall  appear 
most  probable  speedily  to  en.-jui'c  the  acquisition  oi  the  na 
val  ascendancy. 

You  are  already  acquainted  \vuh  the  u.'.cuk'd  line  of  con 
duct  which  I  wish  to  be  observed  (m  Luke  Erie,  by  copuuu 
Barclay,  and  you  will  not  fail  to  impress  on  that  oihcer  the 
absolute  necessity  of  regaining  the  naval  superiority,  and 
to  preserve  luiiiueiruplcd  the  intercourse  between  Am- 
herstburg  and  Long  Point,  in  order  that  the  supplies  and 
stores  in  depot  at  the  latuv  place,  and  at  the  head  ol  the 
lake,  may  be  transported  in  safety  lo  the  right  division. 

The  flotilla  of  transports  on  Lake  Ontario  arc  to  be  kept 
employed,  as  long  as  the  season  will  admit,  in  the  convey 
ance  of  the  provisions  and  other  supplies  collected  at 
Kingston,  and  destined  for  the  right  and  centre  divisions 
of  the  army,  and  they  are  to  receive  from  your  force  the 
necessary  protection. 

I  have  the  honour  to  be,  sir,  your  most  obcd't.  serv't. 
(Signed)  GEORGE  PKEVOST. 

Communcier  of  the  forces. 

Com.  Sir  J.  L.  Yeo. 

SPEECH  OF  TECUMSEH, 

In  the  name  of  the  Indian  Chiefs,  and    Wcrriors)  to    Major 
General  PROCTOR^  as  Kre/irese?itafivc  of  their    Gufdl 
father  the  King. 
Father,  listen  to  your  children  ; — You  see  them  now  all 


160  BARBARITIES  OF 

before  ytfii.  The  war  before  this,  our  British  father  gav& 
the  hatchet  to  his  red  children,  when  our  old  chiefs  were 
alive  ;  they  are  now  all  cjead.  In  that  war  our  father  was 
thrown  on  his  back,  by  the  Americans,  and  our  father  took 
them  by. the  hand,  without  our  knowledge  ;  and  we  are  a- 
'raid  that  our  father  will  do  so  again  at  this  tirrset 

Summer  before  last,  when  I  came  forward  with  my  red 
brethren,  and  were  ready  to  take  up  the  hatchet  in  favour 
cf  our  British  father,  we  were  told  not  to  be  in  a  hurry,  that 
he  hr,d  not  yet  determined  to  light  the  Americans. 

LAatcn,  When  war  was  declared,  our  father  stood  up> 
anil  gave  us  the  tomahawk,  and  told  us  he  was  now  ready 
to  strike  the  Americans;  that  he  wanted  our  assistance; 
and  that  he  certainly  would  get  us  our  lands  back,  which 
the  Americans  had  taken  from  us. 

Libt<:n.  You  told  us  at  that  time  to  bring  forward  our 
families  to  this "pla?e  ;  we  did  so;  and  you  promised  to 
tuUe  care  of  them,  and  that  they  should  want  for  nothing, 
•.viiilc  the  men  would  go  and  fight  the  enemy  ;  that  we 
v.rerc  not  to  trouble  ourselves  with  the  enemy's  garrisons  ; 
that  we  knew  nothing  about  them,  and  that  our  father 
wculd  attend  to  that  part  of  the  business.  You  also  told 
your  red  children,  that  you  would  take  good  care  of  your 
garrison  here,  which  made  our  hearts  glad. 

Listen.  When  we  last  went  to  the  Rapids,  it  is  true  we 
gave  you  KttJe  assistance  ;  it  is  hard  to  fight  people  who 
live  like  ground  hogs. 

Father,  listen.  Our  fleet  has  gone  out  we  know  they 
have  fought,  we  heard  the  great  guns  ;  but  know  nothing  of 
what  has>  happened  to  our  father  with  the  one  arm.*  Our 
ships  are  gone.one  way,  a,nd  we  are  very  much  astonished 
to  see  our  father  tying  up  every  thing  and  preparing  to  run 
away  the  other,  without  letting  his  red  children  know  what 
liis  intentions  are. 

You  always  told  us  to  remain  here  and  take  care  of 
cur  lands.  It  made  our  hearts  glad  to  hear  that  was  your 
\\ish  ;  our  great  father  the  king  is  the  head,  ami  you  re 
present  him.  You  always  told  us  that  you  would  never 

*  Commodore  Barclay,  -who  commanded  i;he  Biitifli  fkct,  lost  an  arm 
at  the  battle  of  Trafalgar, 


THE  ENEMY.  id 

draw  your  foot  off  the  British  ground  ;  but  now,  father,  vro 
see  you  drawing  back,  and  we  are  sorry  to  see  our  father 
doing  so  without  seeing  the  enemy.  We  must  compare 
our  father's  conduct  to  ft  fat  animal,  that  cariies  its  tail  up- 
,  on  its  back  ;  but  when  affrighted,  it  drops  it  between  its 
legs  and  runs  off. 

father^  listen.  The  Americans  have  not  yet  defeated 
us  by  land,  neither  are  we  sure  that  they  have  done  so  by 
water  ;  we  therefore  wish  to  remain  here,  and.  fight  our 
enemy,  should  they  make  their  appearance.  If  they  defeat 
us,  we  will  t  h>3ii  retreat  with  our  father. 

At  the  battle  of  the  Rapids,  last  war,  the  Americans 
certainly  defeated  us,  and  when  we  retreated  to  our  fath 
er's  fert,  at  that  place,  the  gates  were  shut  against  us  — , 
We  were  afraid  that  it  would  now  be  the  case  j  but  instead 
of  that,  we  see  our  British  father  preparing  to  march  out 
of  his  garrison, 

Father.  You  have  got  the  arms  and  ammunition  which 
our  great  father  sent  for  Ms  red  children.  If  you  have 
uny  idea  of  going  away,  give  them  to  us  and  you  may  g-o 
and  welcome,.  For  us,  our  lives  are  in  the  hands  of  the 
Gre.'.t  Spirit  ;  we  are  determined  to  defend  our  lands  ;  and 
if  it  is  his  will,  we  wish  to  leave  our  bones  upon  them. 
•  Amheratburg)  Sept. 


The  following  interesting  extract  of  a  letter,  was  written 
by  a  captain  of  the  British  dragoons,  (addressed  to  his 
parents  in  England)  and  found  among  general  Proctor's 
papers— and  we  are  assured  by  an  officer  in  the  army, 
that  it  was  found  with  a  broken  seal : — probably  having 
been  entrusted  to  a  distinguished  .officer  of  the  I'ritish 
army,  who  fearing  it  might  contain  something  concern 
ing  his  o\yn  conduct,  his  curiosity  led  him  to  examine  its 
contents. 

Extract  frojn  a  letter  written  at  Dctrci^  Sefit.  26,  181S, 
"  Our  fleet  upon  the  lake,  sailed  about  "20  days  ago  from 
our  port  intofhat  of  the  Americans,  after  a  close  action,  of 
three  hours  and  a  half,  without  one  making  their  escape  j 
tiie  consequence  of  which  is  we  have  lost  all  hopes  of  ever 
*  2 


162  BARBARITIES  OF 

regaining  tljc  command  of  the  lake  ;  and  our  army,  con* 
sisting  of  about  550  regulars  /and  2500  -wild  Indians,  arc 
now  upon  the  retreat  to  Thames  river,  although  contrary 
to  the  wishes  of  the  Indians  ;  who  have  declared  they  will 
not  budge  one  inch  further,  and  remind  us  of  our  general 
.  having  promised  to  conquer  or  leave  their  bones  with  them  ; 
as'  we  are  now  completely  in  the  Ravages'  power,  we  are 
obliged,  in  a  great  measure,  to  act  as  they  think  proper. 
The  celebrated  chief  Tccumseh,  dined  with  me  last  Fri 
day,  and1  assured  me  his  Indians  were  determined  to  give 
battle  the  moment  the  Americans  approach.  Our  general, 
should  he  act  contrary  to  their  wishes,  may  repent  his  rash 
opposition  ;  however. prudent  he  may  conceive  a  retreat  at 
such  an  awful  crisis.  These  savages  have  no  mercy. — 
The  tomahawk  and  scalping  knife  decides  immediately  the 
wretch  who  falls  in  their  hands,  and  many  dread  the  war 
w hocfi  may  sound  in  our  ears,  if  we  act  contrary  to  their 
ideas,  which  are  as  wild  as  themselves.  We  have  spread  a 
net  which  may  catch  us.  1  hate  these  savage  barbarians, 
You  cannot  place  confidence  in  them  ;  and  without  a  force 
sufficient  to  keep  them  in  check,  they  are  more  plague 
than  profit.'* 


Although  the  following  article  has  no  connection  with 
the  documents,  for  the  perpetuation  of  which  this  volume 
ivcs  put  to  press,  the  editor  thinks  is  sufficiently  interesting 
to  the  people  of  the  United  States  to  give  it  a  place  here. 
The  introductory  paragraph,  within  brackets,  is  from  the 
pen  of  the  able  and  painolick  editor  of  the  "  Baltimore 
Weekly  Register." 

BRITISH  PARLIAMENT. 

\'  Fhc  following  debate  is,  in  many  respects,  highly  inter*- 
rsting  to  the  people  of  the  United  States.  If  the  rep 
resentation  of  lord  Cochrane  be  true,  how  humble  is  the 
state  of  the  British  sailor  1 — If  what  Mr.  Crober  advances 
j ,  correct,  how  honourable  to  our  tarS  1 — Little  did  Mr. 
r,.  apprehend  the  splendid  eulogluro  he  vas  passing  on- 


THE  ENEMY.  153 

'..he  American  seamen,  in  the  portrait  he  gave  of  the  gal- 
lantry  of  those  they  so  easily  conquered.] 

JULY,     1813. STATE    O>     THE    NAVY. 

Lord  Cochrane  rose  in  pursuance  of  his  notice,  to  call 
the  attention  of  the  house  to  the  present  state  of  the  navy. 
He  would  not  long  trespass  on  the  attention  of  the  house. 
In  order  to  place  before  them  in  a  clear  and  perspicuous 
manner,  his  sentiments  upon  this  most  important  subject, 
he  had  embodied  them  in  a  resolution,  which  members 
•would  have  an  opportunity  of  perusing^  and  weighing  with 
due  deliberation  during  the  period  of  adjournment,  and  the 
truth  of  which  they  would  thus  have  an  opportunity  of  as 
certaining.  He  could  only  say,  that  to  the  correctness 
of  the  facts-  which  he  should  state,  he  could  most  fully 
pledge  himself*  He  would  then  content  himself  with  read- 
Ing  his  resolution,  and  should  reserve  whatever  else  he 
might  have  to  offer  to  the  house  till  he  hoard  whether  any 
objection  should  be  made — an  event  which  he  did  not  an 
ticipate,  as  he  saw  not  upon  what  ground  objection 
could  rise*  The  noble,  lord  then  read  the  f olio  wing  reso 
lution. 

"  That  the  honour  o'  his  majesty's  crown,  the  glory  and 
safety  of  the  country,  does  in  a  great  degree  depend  on  th»- 
maintenance,  especially  in  time  of  war,  of  an  efficient  naval 
establishment. 

That  during  the  Lite  and  present  war  with  France,  splen 
did  victories  have  been  gained  by  his  majesty's  fleets  and 
vessels  of  war,  over  a  vast  superiority  in  the  number  of 
guns  and  men,  and  in  the  weight  of'metal. 

"  That  thesfc  victories,  gained  under  such  circumstances 
were  obtained  by  the  skill  and  intrepidity  of  the  officers 
and  by  the  energy,  zefll  and  valou:1  of  the  crews. 

"  That  during  the  present  war  with  (he  United  States  of 
America,  his  majesty's  naval  service  has,  in  several  instan 
ces,  experienced  defeat,  in  a  manner,  and  to  a  degree,  un 
foreseen  and  Unexpected  by  this  house,  by  the  admiralty, 
and  by  the  country  at  large. 

"  That  the  cause  of  these  lamentable,  defeats  is  not  any 
superiority  possessed  by  the  enemy,  either  in  skill  or  val~ 


IG4  BARBARITIES  OF 

our,  nor  the  well  known  difference  in  the  weight  of  metal, 
which  heretofore  has  bben  deemed  unimportant ;  but  aris 
es  chiefly  from  the  decayed  and  heartless  state  of  the 
crews  of  his  majesty's  ships  of  war,  compared  with  their 
former  energy  and  zeal— and  compared,  on  the  other 
ha?%d,  with,  the  freshness  and  vigour  of  the  crews  of  the  en 
emy. 

"  That  it  is  an  indisputable  fact,  that  long  and  unlimited 
confinement  to  a  ship,  as  well  as  to  any  other  particular 
spot,  and  especial!y  when  accompanied  with  the  diet  nec 
essarily  that  of  ships  of  war,  and  a  dedrivation  of  the  usual 
recreations  of  man,  seldom  fails  to  produce  a  rapid  decay 
of  the  physical  powers — the  natural  parent,  in  such  pases, 
of  despondency  of  rnind. 

"  That  the  late  find  present  war  against  France  (includ 
ing  a  short  interval  of  peace,  in  which  the  navy  was  not 
paid  off)  have  lasted  upwards  of  twenty  years,  and  that  a 
new  naval  war  has  recently  commenced. 

"  That  the  duration  of  the  term  of  service  in  his  majes 
ty's  navy  is  absolutely  without  any  [limitation  ;  and  that 
there  is  no  mode  provided  for  by  law,  for  the  fair  and  im* 
partial  discharging  of  men  therefrom  ;  and  that,  according 
to  the  present  practice,  decay,  disease,  incurable  wounds, 
or  death,  can  alone  procure  the  release  of  any  seaman,  of 
whatever  age,  or  whatever  length  of  service. 

"  That  seamen  who  have  become  wholly  unfit  for  active 
service,  are,  in  gjace  of  being  discharged  and  rewarded, 
according  to  their'merits  and  their  sufferings,  transferred 
to  ships  on  harbour  duty,  where  they  are  placed  under  offi 
cers  wholly  unacquainted  with  their  character  and  former 
conduct,  who  have  no  other  means  to  estimate  them,  but 
on  the  scale  of  their  remaining  activity*and  bodily 
strength  ;  where  there  is  no  distinction  n.ade  between  the 
former  petty  officer  and  the  common  seaman  ;  betwee+i 
youth  and  age;  and  when  those  worn  out  and  wounded 
seamen,  who  have  spent  the  best  part  of  their  lives,  or 
have  lost  their  health  in  the  service  of  their  country,  have 
to  perform  a  duty  more  laborious  than  that  of  Ihc  convict 
felons  in  the  dock  yards  ;  and  with  this  remarkable  dis 
tinction,  that  the  labours  oi  the  latter  have  a  known  termi- 


T1IE  ENEMY,.  165 

':  That  though  the  seamen,  thus  transferred,  and  thus 
em  ployed,  have  all  been  invalided,  they  arc  permitted  to 
ni-enter  ships  of  war  on  actual  service  ;  and  that  such  is 
the  nature  of  the  harbour  duty,  that  many,  in  order  -Kp  es 
cape  from  At,  do  so  re-enter  ;  there  being  no  limitation  as 
to  the  nuniberoftim.es  of  their  [being  invalidod,  or  that 
of  their  re-entering, 

"  That  to  obtain  a  discharge  from  the  navy,  by  purchase? 
the  sum  of  eighty  pounds  sterling  is  required  by  the  ad 
miralty,  which  together  with  other  cxpences,  amount  to 
twenty  times  the  original  bounty,  and  is  equal  to  all  that 
a  seaman  can  save,  with  the  most  rigid  econon^,  during 
the  average  period  in  which  he  is  capable  of  service  ;-— 
that  this  sum  is  demanded  alike  from  men  of  all  ages  and 
of  all  lengths  of  servitude  ;  irom  those  pensioned  for 
wound 3,  and  also  from  those  invalided  for  harbour  duty  ; 
thus  converting  the  funds  of  Greenwich  and  the  reward  of 
former  services  into  a  means  of  recruiting  the  navy  ;  that 
such  U  the  horrour  which  seamen  have  of  this  useless  pro 
longation  of  their  captivity,  that  those  who  are  able,  in  or 
der  to  escape  from  it,  actually  return  into  the  hands  of 
government  all  those  fruits  of  their  toil  which  formerly 
they,  looked,  to  as  the  means  of  some  little  comfort  in  their  • 
old  age. 

"  That  besides  these  capital  grievances,  tending  to- per 
petuate  the  impress  service,  there  are  others  worthy  the 
serious  attention  of  this  house. 

"  That  the  petty  oiuce-s  and  seamen  on  board  of  his 
majesty's  ships  and  vessels  of  war,  though  absent  on  for- 
eign'stations  for  many  years,  receive  no  wages  until  their 
return  home,  and  are.  of  course  deprived  of  the  comforts 
which  those  wages,  paid  at  short  intervals,  would  procure 
them  ;  that  this  is  now  more  severely  felt,  owing  to  the 
recent  practice  of  postponing  declarations  of  war  until 
long  after  the  war  has  been  actually  begun  ;  by  which 
means  the  navy  is  deprived  under  the  name  of  droits,  of 
the  first  fruits  and  greatest  proportion  of  the  prize  money 
to  which  they  have  heretofore  been  entitled  ;  and  thus, 
and  by  the  examinations  of  the  courts  of  admiralty,  the 
proportion  of  captures  which  at  last  devolves  to  the  navy, 
is  much  too  sraall  to  produce  those  effects  which  fgrmcriy 


BARBARITIES  OF 

were  so  beneficial  to  the  country  ;  that  while  their  wages 
are  withheld  from  them  abroad,  when  paid  at  home,  which 
to  prevent  desertion,  usually  takes  place  on  iho-  day  be 
fore  tifey  sail  out  again,  having  no  opportunity  to  go  on 
shore,  they  are  compelled  to  buy  slops,  of  Jews  on  boardj 
or  receive  them  from  government  15  per  cent  higher  than 
their  acknowledged  value  ;  ami  being  paid  in  bank  notes, 
they  are  naturally  induced  to  exchange  them  for  money 
current  in  other  countries,  and  which  it  is  notorious  that 
they  do  at  an  enormous  loss  ;  that  the  recovery  of  the  pay 
and  prize  money  by  the  widows,  children,  or  relatives  of 
seamen,  j^endered  as  difficult  as  possible  ;  and  finally, 
the  regulations  with  regard  to  passing  of  the  examination 
requisite,  previous  to  an  admission  to  the  benefits  of 
Greenwich  hospital,  subject  the  disabled  seamen  to  so  ma 
ny  difficulties,  and  to  such  long  delays,  that  in  numerous 
cases,  he  is  compelled  to  beg  Lis  way  in  the  pursuit  of  a 
boon,  the  amount  of  which,  even  in  event  of  the  loss  of 
both  eyes,  or  of  both  arms,  does  uot  equal  that  of  the  com- 
111  on  bawd  wages  oi  a  footman. 

That  one  of  the  best  and  strongest  motives  to  meritori 
ous  conduct  in  military  and  naval  men,  is  the  prospect  of 
promotion,  while  such  promotion  is,  at  the  same  lime,  free 
of  additional  expencc  to  the  nation  ;  but  that  to  the  British 
naval  service,  this  powerful  and  honourable  incitement  has 
ceased  to  exist,  seeing  that  the  means  of  rev;:  -cling  merit 
has  been  almost  wholly  withdrawn  from  naval  commanders 
in  chief,  under  whose  inspection  services  are  performed  ; 
in  fact  it  is  a  matter  of  such  perfect  notoriety,  that  it  has 
become  next  to  impossible  for  a  meritorious  subordinate 
petty  officer  or  seaman  to  rr-s-to  the  rank  of  lieutenant  ; 
that  in  scarcely  any  instance  promotion  or  employment  is 
now. to  be  obtained  in  the  navy,  through  any  other  means 
than  wh'it  is  called  parliamentary  interest-*— that  is,  the  cor 
rupt  influence  of  boroughs. 

"  That  owing  to  these  causes,  chiefly,  the  crews  of  his 
majesty's  ships  of  war  have,  in  general,  become  in  a  very 
considerable  degree  worn  out  and  disheartened,  and  inad 
equate  to  the  performance,  with  their  wonted  energy  and 
eflect,  of  those  arduous  duties  which  belong  to  the  naval 
service  ;  and  that  hence  has  arisen  by  slow  and  impercept- 


THE  ENEMY.]  1ST 

ible  degrees,  the  enormous  augmentation  of  our  ships  and 
men,  while  the  naval  force  of  our  enemies  is  actually  much 
less  than  in  former  years. 

"  That,  as  a  remedy  for  this  alarming  national  evil,  ifeis 
absolutely  necessary  that  the  grievances  of  the  navy,  some 
of  which  only  have  been  recited  above,  should  be  redress 
ed  ;  that  a  limitation  of  the  duration  of  service  should  be 
adopted,  accompanied  with  the  certainty  of  a  suitable  re 
ward,  not  subject  to  any  of  the  effects  of  partiality,  and  that 
measures  should  be  taken  to  cause  the  comfortable  situa 
tions  in  the  ordinary  of  the  dock  yard — the  places  of  port- 
ers,  messengers,  Sec.  &c.  in  and  about  the  offices  belonging 
to  the  sea  service,  the  under  wardens  of  the  naval  forests, 
Sec. — to  be  bestowed  on  meritorious  decayed  petty  officers 
and  seamen,  instead  of  being,  as  they  now  generally  are, 
the  wages  of  corruption,  in  borough  elections. 

*  "  That  this  house,  convinced  that  a  decrease  of  energy 
of  character  cannot  be  compensated  by  an  augmentation  of 
the  number  of  ships,  guns  and  men,  which  is,  at  the  same 
time,  a  grievous  pecuniary  burden  to  the,  country,  will,  at 
an  early  period  of  next  session,  institute  an  enquiry  by  spe 
cial  committee,  or  otherwise,  into  the  matters  above  stated, 

.  and  particularly  with  a  view  to  dispensing  suitable  rewards 
to  seamen  ;  that  they  will  investigate  the  state  of  the  fund 
at  Greenwich  hospital,  and  ascertain  whether  it  is  necessa 
ry  to  apply  the  droits  of  the  admiralty,  and  droits  of  the 
crown,  as  the  natural  first  means  of  compensation  to  those 
•who  have  acquired  them  by  their  v&lour,  their  privations 
and  their  sufferings." 

Sir  Francis.  Burdett  seconded  the  resolution. 
Mr.  Croker  said,  he  should  think  himself  wanting  in  du* 
ly  to  the  house,  if  he  did  not  at  once  assure  them,  that  ex 
cept  the  very  opening  of  the  resolution  which  had  just  been 
read  from  ?iie  chair,  there -was  not  one  statement  which 
was  not  unfounded  in  fact,  or  exaggerated  in  the  highest 
degree,  (Hear,  hear.)-^-IIe  had  only  to  lament  that 
the  roble  lord  had  not  brought  forward  this  subject  at  an 
earlier  period  of  the  session,  so  that  his  statements  might 
have  been  refuted  in  a.manaer  more  decided,  although 
perhaps  DO*  more  satisfactorily  than  they  would  be  on 

.the  present  occasion.     Us  was  surprised  that  the  noble 


•Ka  BARBARITIES  OF 

lord  should  have  ventured  to  submit  to  the  house  a 
lution  bearing  such  evident  marks  of  its  own  falsehood 
—a  resolution  so  replete  as  it  is  with  the  most  unfound 
ed  calumny,  and  with  such  distortion  of  facts—- who  but 
the  ncble  lord  would  have  ever  dreamed  of  such  an  insin- 
ation  as  that  the  late   victories  gained  by  the  American 
navy  over  the  British  flag  had  been  attributable,  not  to 
the  inequality  of  force,  but  to  the  misconduct  and  pusil 
lanimity   of   our    sailors.     (Hear,    Hear.)      What!     he 
would    ask,  was  the  crew  of  the  Java    dispirited    when 
she  -was  taken  ?     (Hear.)     When  the  Macedonian  was  ta 
ken,  was  her  crew  sunk  in  apathy  and  broken  hearted  ? 
(Hear,  hear  )     So  far  from  this  being  the  case,  he  could 
state  from  his  own  knowledge,  that  in  the  latter  part  of 
the  actions  in  which  these  vessels   were  engaged,  and  in 
which  they  fought  with  so  much  honour  to  themselves,  and 
so  much  glory  to  the  British  name,  when  almost  all  hope^ 
had  failed,  their  spirit  and  valour  still  remained  unsubdu 
ed  ;  and  instead,  as  the  noble  lord  would  have  the  house  to 
believe,  of  sinking  amidst  the  weight  of  their  misfortuues, 
they  cheered  each  other,  with   reiterated  shouts  of  en 
couragement  ;  and  those  cheers  invariably  commenced, 
amongst  the  wounded  in  the  cockpit !  Did  this,  he  would 
demand  of  the  noble  lord,  shew  any  thing  like  a  crew 
disheartened  ?  Did  this  shew  a  British  sailor  to  be  aught 
but  what  he  had  ever  proved  himself  to  be  ?  Did  this 
tend  to  tarnish  or  to  diminish  the  lustre  which  had  ever 
attended  the  career  of  the   British   navy.     (Hear,  Hear.) 
With  these  facts  before  the  house  and  the  country,  was 
he  not  authorized  to  call  npon  the  noble  lord  to  state,  how 
lie  could  presume  to  ask  the  house  to  vote  for  his  resolu 
tion  ?  Another  fact  he  could  state,  which  he  supposed  the 
noble  lord  would  construe  into  a  new  proof  of  the  apathet- 
ical    and  disheartened    state    of   our    sailors.     That    to 
which  he  alluded,  was  the  conduct  of  John  Humble,  the 
boatswain  of  the  Java,  who  it  would  be  seen  on  his  ex 
amination  before  a  court  martial,  amongst  other  facts, 
stated,  that  having  had  his  arm  carried  away,  be  went 
belo\v  to  the  surgeon,  andj  having  had  the  stump  "  put  to 
rights,"  as  he  termed  it,  by  having  the  tournirp'1      »•:  '^<i 
to  it,  returned  to  the  deck  and  checked  the  boarders  witii 


THE  ENEMY.  153 

Hs  pipe.  (Hear,  hear.)  Was  this  a  proof  of  any  dimi 
nution  of  British  valor,  or  of  a  fulling  off  in  the  character 
and  spirit  of  those  brave  men,  who,  until  libelled  and 
blown  upon  by  the  noble  lord,  had  stood  above  the  most 
distant  imputation  of  misconduct  ?  In  the  same  degree  as 
this  part  of  the  resolution  of  the  noble  lord  was  incorrect, 
to  was  all  the  rest.  With  respect  to  the  fact  stated,  of 
GO/,  being  demanded  foiM0|he  discharge  of  every  seaman 
irom  the  navy,  nothing  could  be  m  -re  unfounded.  The 
truth  was,  that  80  pounds  certainly  was  demanded  far 
the  discharge  of  an  able  seaman  ;  bs.it  in  proportion 
as  the  ability  and  usefulness  of  the  man  diminished, 
so  did  the  £um  required  for  his  discharge,  lor  in 
stance,  an  ordinary  seaman  paid  but  GO/,  and  a  kind 
man  but  40/.  ;  and  if  these  men  became  invalided,  and 
vere  only  employed  in  harbour  duty,  this  demand  was  di 
minished  one  Jjalf.  And  again,  where  they  were  unfit 
for  service,  they  were  not  alone  discharged  without  fee, 
but  received  a  pension  for  the  remainder  of  their  lives. — « 
(Hear!)  If  the  sailers  in  his  majesty  'a  service  were  not 
heart  broken  before,  the  base  libel  which  the  noble  lord  had 
that  day  attempted  to  throw  on  their  character  and  honour, 
\vas  sufficient  to  effect  that  object)  had  the  noble  lord 
maintained  so  much  authority  over  them  as  he  did  in 
former  times — a  circumstance  which,  happily,,  there  was 
much  reason  to  doubt.  T life  noble  lord  had  talked  also 
oi  cor,  uption,  and  had  siiid  that  promotions  could  only  be 
obtained  by  incur;  3  or  co'.'ruption  and  parliamentary  in 
fluence.  He  would  ask  tlie  noble*  lord,  if  his  promotion. 
•\v:is  the  effect  of  co'-'iUption  ? — (Ile^r,  hear,  hear  !)  Was 
the  red  ribbon  which  was  giren  to  him,  for  ths  first  time 
to  a  man  of  his  rank,  thex  effect  of  parliamentary  influ 
ence  ? — (Hear,  hear  i)  And  was  the  promotion  of  many 
other  men  whom  he  could  name,  if  it  would  not  be  in  some 
degree  invidious,  to  be  attributed  to  such  c.n  unwor 
thy  cause  ?  It  was  easy,  however,  for  the  noble  lord  to 
talk  in  generals,  l>ut  1st  him  r.sme  wi;-<  had  received  the 
wages  of  corruption,  or  who  had  given  them.  (Hear, 
hear  !)  The  right  hanour.-.ole  gentlo'ucn  having  made 
some  further  reprobatory  comments  upjo  the  resolution  of 
the  noble  lord,  concluded  by  expressing  u  hope  that  if  the 
P 


!73  BARBARITIES  OF 

noble  lord  dared  to  press  it  to  a  division,  that  the  house 
would  leave  hime  in  such  a  minority  as  would  prove  the 
indignation  with  which  it  was  regarded  by  the  house, 

Mr.  Lockhart  entreated  the  noble  lord  to  withdraw  a 
resolution  inconsistent  with  the  character  vrhich  his  lord 
ship  had  always  borne,  and  so  hostile  to  every  feeling 
which  the  house  had  ever  entertained  towards  the  British 
nary. 

Sir  F.  Purdctt  thought  thA-e  was  sufficient  reason 
stated  by  the  noble  lord  for  an  enquiry,  and  the  very 
doubts  which  were  urged  by  the  right  honourable  gentle* 
man  (Mr.  Croker)  proved  to  him  most  strongly  the  neces 
sity  of  that  enquiry.  He  would  agree'  that  the  period  of 
t  ic  session  at  which  the  matter  had  been  brought  forward 
was  too  advanced,  yet  if  the  resolution  was  rejected  now, 
he  hoped  the  noble  lord  would  renew  the  subject  at  an 
eurly  part  of  the  ensuing  session.  He  would  not,  how 
ever,  advise  the  noble  lord  to  withdraw  his  resolution  after 
tee  manner  in  which  it  had  been  stigmatized  by  the  right 
honourable  gentleman  (Mr.  Croker) 

Mr.  Rose  in  the  fullest  manner  denied  all  that  had  been 
advanced  by  the  noble  lord,  with  respect  either  to  the  dif 
ficulty  of  sailors  receiving  their  pay  er  thb  prize  money. 

Ivlr.  Calcrafc,  in  terms  of  great  animation,  compliment 
ed  Mr.  Croker,  on  the  speech  which  he  had  made,  and 
observed,  that  the  resolution  of  the  noble  lord  was  calcu 
lated  to  do  more  mischief  in  the  British  navy,  than  any 
other  plan  which  could  be  devised.  The  honourable  gen- 
tlernaii  then  defended  the  character  «f  the  l?.riiish  sailors 
with  beaming  zeal  and  energy,  and  concluded  by  ex 
pressing  a  hope,  that  the  resolution  v.ould  meet  in  that 
Lojue  the  1'aie  it  so  eminently  deserved. 

Mr.  Wrotiesley  bore  tesimony  to  the  fuetility  in  the  na 
val  public".;  officers. 

Mr.  Su-.mforth  opposed  the  resolution. 

Ijord  Cochrane  replied.  He  said  he  was  not  displeas 
ed  at  the  warmth  with  which  his  proposition  had  been 
met.  It  certainly  would  be  injurious  to  no  one,  except 
to  the  fctii'.igs  of  certain  members  of  that  house.  The 
right  honourable  secretary  had  met  his  statements  with  in 
dividual  instances  of  gallantry.  The  extsteaus  of 


THE  ENEMY,  171 

he  did  not  deny  ;  but  be  asserted,  that  the  physical  pow 
ers  of  our  seamen  were  decreasing,  partly  Prom  the  sys 
tem  of  harbour  duty  established  in  18O3.  He  had  heard 
that  the  system  was  about  to  be  changed  ;  and  he  should 
be  happy  to  hear  from  the  right  honourable  secretary  that 
such  was  the  fact.  The  right  honourable  secretary  had 
challenged  him  to  show  aw  instance  of  an  officer  having 
purchased  his  discharge  from  the  service.  He  would 
name  a  Mr.  Ford,  who  had  served  with  him  in  the  Im- 
pcrieuse,  who  had  clone  so  ;  and  Nelson,  his  cockswain 
of  that  vessel,  had  been  placed  in  harbour  service  and 
had  returned  to  him  ;  and  another  person  of  the  name 
of  Farley  of  the  Leda,  had  three  times  left <  that  de 
grading  service,  and  had  each  time  returned  to  him, 
and  died  with  him,  completely  worn  out  in  the  service. 
These  were  facts  which  he;  was  prepared  to  prove  i-t 
the  bar,  as  he  was  all  those  which  hud  been  , 
with  so  much  warmth  by  the  right  honourable  secretary, 
To  show  further  that  the  crews  of  British  ships  of  war 
were  unequal  to  themselves  heretofore,  he  would  relate 
what  was  the  opinion  of  a  person  not  at  all  likely  to  be 
disaffected  to  the  order  of  things — he  was  then  son  of  a 
bishop  ;  he  had  taken  an  American  privateer,  the  crew 
of  which  consisted  of  only  130  men,  and  he  had  declared, 
that  he  would  rather  have  them  than  his  own  crew,  con 
sisting  of  240.  If  the  right  honourable  secretary  doubted 
this  fact,  he  might  enquire,  and  he  weuld  easily  veriiy  it  — 
The  noble  lord  had  heard  that  the  sailors  taken  p.isoner* 
by  the  Americans,  had  been  found  rui.ning  a  way  in  the 
back  settlements  ;  that  forty  of  them  had  been  brought 
back  by  force,  and  that  from  the  rnanife^aiioii  oi  this  pio- 
pensity,  the  exchange  of  piiboners  had  been  broken  off. 
The  lateness  of -the  period  at  v,i.ich  he  had  brought  for 
ward  his  resolution  had  been  complained  of.  lit  i\ 
tend  to  bring  in  a  bill  to  limit  the  term  of  ser-,  ice,  but  cir 
cumstances  had  prevented  him  ;  but  he  would  carry  his 
intention  into  effect  in  the  riext  session.  With  respect  to 
parliamentary  influence,  the  right  honounible  secretary 
had  asked,  whether  he  had  found  it  of  service  to  himself 
in  his  profession  ?  He  certainly  had  not,  because  he.  had 
never  prostituted  his  vote  for  that  purpose — bia  he  hud 


172  BARBARITIES  OF 

no  doubt  others  had  found  that  influence  of  great  avail. 
When  he  again  brought  forward  the  subject,  he  should 
prove  all  the  facts  he  had  adduced,  and  he  hoped  so  much 
ignorance  of  the  subject  would  not  then  be  found  to  pre 
vail. 

Mr.  Crokcr  replied  to  the  questions  put  by  lord  Coch- 
rrr.e,  that  the  government  had  at  al!  times  been  very 
watchful  over  the  harbour  duty,  but  that  it  had  not  taken 
fvtty  new  stcr*  since  the  suggestions  of  the  noble  lord. — 
Xle  had  never  heard  that  the  sailors  taken  prisoners  by  the 
Americans,  had  been  ic-uml  tunning  away  to  the  back  set 
tlements  ;  nor  of  the  forty  men  being  brought  back  by- 
force.  The  exchange  of  prisoners  was  broken  off,  in  con- 
fccquence  of  some  wrong  done  to  the  British  seiunen,  and 
not  in  consequence  of  any  fault  of  theirs. 

The  resolution  was  then  negatived  without  a  division. 


THE  MICHIGANIANS. 

THS  following  protest  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  Mich  gain 
Territory,  was  received  in  the  National  intelligencer  of 
tha  lOih  of  November,  1813,  at  which  moment  the  editor 
M'i-s  ubout  closing  this  volume.  Its  connexion  with  the 
foregoing  document,  entitles  it  to  a  phce  in  the  same  vol- 
vrrse  wi'.h  them,  1  he  editors  of  the  -InttWgencer^  intro 
duce  it  mlo  their  paper  by  the  following  remarks  . 

"  The  day  may  not  have  arrived,  but  it  must,  ere  lon#, 
•come,  when  the  American  Republick  will  be  under  a  nec 
essity  of  demanding  ;  and}  by  proper  perseverance,  of  ob 
taining,  redress  for  every  injury  done  to  her  ciiizens, 
whether  in  relation  to  their  /<<?r,vo ;„',<,>,  or  their  commercial  or 
'.;iht  r  properly  ;  and  in  whatever  quarter  or  region  «t  the 
v.r  o  i  •[  d  committed. 

At  the  present  momer.t  the  viola?ion  of  the  caphuialiou 
cf  Detroit  will  claim  the  first  attention.  Ample  indemni 
ty  ought  to  ba  extended  to  the  sufferers  ;  and  if  GUV 
mtion  CL-m:ot,  by  arms,  obtain  counter  indemnih'cutioiJj 
perhaps  it  ought  magnanimously  to  s-ustyin  the  losi.  TJ'c 


THE  ENEMY.  173 

fidelity  of  our  citizens  is  not  a  nature  to  be  tampered  with  ; 
and,  where  they  are  true  to  tis,  -we  must  be  true  io  them. 
We  lay  this  day  before  our  readers  the  protest  cf  the  in 
habitants  of  the  Territory  of  Michigan,  in  relation  to  the 
•violation  of  the  third  article  of  the  capitulation  which  igno 
bly  subjected  them  to  Briiibh  dominion." 

PROTEST. 

Whereas  it  has  been  signified  to  us,  the  undersigned 
citizens  of  the  United  States,  resident  at  Detroii  in  the 
Territory  of  Michigan,  by  colonel  Henry  Proctor,  the  Brit 
ish  commanding  officer,  that  it  is  will  and  pleasure  we 
should  depart  from  and  leave  the  said  territory  ,  and  he  so 
orders,  and  directs  it  ;  leaving  behind  at  the  same  time  as 
We  necessarily  must  do,  our  dearest  relatives  exposed  to 
all  the  casualties  and  evils  incident  to  a  state  of  war,  and 
our  property  at  the  mercy  of  the  marauding  savage  : 

Rttiolvsd  therefore  : — That  we  consider  the  said  order 
of  the  said  colonel  Henry  Proctor,  as  a  flagrant  and  gross 
violation  of  the  third  article  of  the  capitulation,  made  and 
'concluded  at  Detroit,  on  the  sixteenth  of  August  last,  and 
by  reason  whereof  this  place  was  surrendered  to  the  Brit 
ish  flag. 

Resolved  2ndly.' — That  it  is  duty  we  ewe  to  ourselves 
and  to  our  country,  to  resist  manfully  and  spiritedly,  by  all 
the  powers  of  reason  and-  argument,  every  unwarrantable 
attempt  upon  our  personal  rights,  that  is  net  btrictly  com 
patible  with  the  articles  Of  capitulation. 

And  whereas  we  entertain  a  very  sensible- and  thorough  ' 
conviction  .that  a  military  officer,  by  an  unjustifiable  and 
wanton  invasion. of  the  private -rights  of  an  individual,  may 
net  only  incur  the  displeasure  of  his  own  government  but 
will  lay  himself  personally  responsible  to  the  individual  in 
jured  : 

Resolved  therefore  MUj  ;— That  for  every  violation  of 
our  rights  and  privileges,  attended  with  an  injury  to  our 
person  or  property,^ve  will  make  a  solemn  appeal  to  the- 
dernier  resori*  to  the  umpire  of  the  law. ' 

Resolved  ^thlij  i — That  we  entertain  a  high  sense  of  the 
honour  of  a  military  parole,  and  the  virtuous  and  delicate 
use  thiit  oughi  to  be  made  of  it ;  as  likewise  of  the  ueces- 


BARBARITIES  OF 


sity  and  the  propriety  of  a  strict  and  exemplary  neutrality 
so  long  as  we  remain  under  the  British  flag,  and  are  pro 
tected  in  our  persons  and  property  agreeably  to  the  true 
spirit  and  letter  of  the  articles  of  the  capitulation. 

Resolved  sthly  ;  —  That  if  there  are  any  amongst  us 
whose  conduct  and  behavior  does  not  strictly  comport  with 
the  spirit  and  meaning  of  the  preceding  resolution)  they 
ought  not  to  be  screened  from,  punishment,  but,  that  it  is 
cmr  duty  to  assist  in  exposing  '.hem  to  the  just  animadver 
sion  and  censure  of  their  own  improper  conduct. 

And  \vhereasweentertainahigh  sense  of  the  manly, 
dignified,  and  spirited  conduct  of  Augustus  B.  Woodward  , 
3isq'  whose  services  have  heretofore  been  so  pre-eminent 
ly  useful  to  the  inhabitants  : 

Resolved  therefore  :  —  6.thly,  That  he  be  presented  with 
these  resolutions  with  a  request  to  lay  them  before 
the  said  colonel  Henry  proctor,  and  to  use  all  lawful  and 
honourable  intreaty  wi.h  him  to  obtain  a  revocation  of  his 
aforesaid  order,  so  diametrically  opposite  to  the  aforesaid 
Scl  article  of  the  capitulation,  and  so  manifestly  injurious 
at  this  particular  season  of  the  year  to  cur  persons  and 
property. 

SIGNED 


Lewis  Bond, 
William  Wilson, 
Archibald  Lyon, 
Anderson  Martin, 
David  Henderson, 
Joseph  Spencer, 
George  R.  Chitiencen, 
John  Walker, 
E.  Brush, 
Peter  Desnoyeres, 
James  Burnett, 
William  Lrovvn, 
John  Consett, 
A.  Langan, 
James  Chittenden, 

JDetroit,  1st  February^  1813. 


David  M'Clean, 

John  Dicks, 
Israel  Taylor, 

\ViiUamW.Scott, 

William  Russell, 

James  Patterson, 
\V.  Robertson, 

Conrad  Leek, 
Conrad  Ten  Eyck, 
Robert  Smart 

Richard  H.  Jones, 
J-  M'Donnel, 
Duncan  Roid, 

«George  Batizes, 


THE  ENEMV.  jrs 

IMPORTANT  REPORT. 

The  Secretary  of  State,  to  whom  were  referred  several 
resolutions  of  the  Senate  of  the  2d  of  February  and  9th 
of  March  last,  has  the  honour  to  submit  to  the  President 
the  following- 

RERORT : * 

Although  these  resolutions  are  of  different  dates,  and  re 
fer  to  subjects  in  some  respects  distinct  in  their  nature,  yet 
as  they  are  connected  in  others  of  considerable  importance- 
which  bear  essentially  on  the  conduct  of  the  parties  in  the 
present  war,  it  is  thought  proper  to  comprise  them  in  the 
same  report. 

The  first  of  these  resolutions  calls  for  the  names  of  the 
individuals  who  were  selected  from  the  American  prison 
ers  of  war  and  sent  to  Great  Britain  for  trial  ;  their  places 
of  residence  in  the  United  States  ;  the  time*  \vhen  and  the 
courts  by  which  they  were  admitted  to  become  citizens  ; 
the  regiments  to  which  they  belong  ;  when  and  where 
they  were  taken  ;  with  copies  of  any  official  correspond 
ence  respecting  the  treatment  of  prisoners  of  war,  and  of 
any  orders  for  retaliation  on  either  side. 

The  other  resolutions  request  information  of  the  con 
duct  of  Great  Britain  towards  her  native  subjects,  taken  in 
arms  against  her,  and  of  the  general  practice  of  the  na 
tions  of  Europe,  relative  to  naturalization,  and  the  employ 
ment  in  war,  each,  of  the  subjects  of  the  other  ;  of  the  cas 
es,  with  their  circumstances,  in  which  any  civilized  nation 
has  punished  its  native  subjects  taken  in  arms  against  it, 
for  which  punishment  retaliation  was  inflicted  by  the  nation 
in  whose  service  they  were  taken.  And  lastly — 

Under  what  circumstances  and  on  what  grounds.  Great 
Britain  has  refused  to  discharge  native  citizens  of  the  U. 
States  impressed  into  her  service  ;  and  what  has  been  her 
conduct  towards  American  seamen  on  board  her  ships  of 
war,  at  and  since  the  commencement  of  the  present  war 
with  the  U.  States. 

The  paper  marked  A,  contains  the  names  of  the  Amer- 


176  BARBARITIES  OF 

lean  prisoners  who  were  sent  to  England  for  trial  by  the 
British  commander  in  Canada  ;  of  the  corps  to  which  they 
belong  ;  of  the  limes  w*hen,  and  cf  the  places  where  they 
\veretaken.  Of  their  places  of  residence  in  the  United 
States  ;  of  the  times  and  the  courts  in  which  they  were 
admited  to  become  citizens,  there  is  no  evidence  in  this 
department,  nor  is  there  any  to  shew  whether  they  were 
naturalized  or  nativ^e  citizens  of  the  United  States.  This 
paper  contains  alsoTa  copy  of  the  orders  of  both  govern* 
ments  for. retaliation,  and  of  the  correspondence  between 
their  respective  commissaries,  concerning  the  treatment 
of  prisoners-- 

The  paper-marked  B>  states  various  grounds  on  whicti 
the  British  government  has  refused  to  deliver  up  Ameri 
can  seamen,  impressed  into  the  British  service,  on  the  ap 
plication  cflhe  agents  of.  the  United  Stages,  regularly  au 
thorised  to  demand  th&m,  with- the-  correspondence  relat 
ing  to  the  same.  It  communicates  also,  such'  information 
as  this  department  has  been  uble  to  obtain  of  the  conduct 
of  the  British  government,  towards  American  seamen  en 
board  Bmish  ships  of  war,-  at  and  since  the  commence 
ment  cf  the  present  war.  Among  the  causes  assigned  for 
their  detention)  the  following  are  the  most  deserving  cf 
notice  •: — 

1.  That  they  had  no  documents,  or  that  their  documents 
were  irregular. 

2.  That  they  were  released  from  prison  in  Gottenburg» 

3.  That  they  were  exchanged  as  British  subjects. 

4.  Were  said  to  be  impostors. 

5.  To  have  married  in  England. 

6.  Did  not  answer  the  descriptions  given  of  them  in  their 
protections. 

7.  Had  attempted  to  desert. 

8.  Were  sent  into  the  service  for  smuggling. 

i?.  Were  not  to  be -found  on  board  the  ship  stated. 

10.  Had -voluntaiily  entered  into  the  British  service. 

1  i«  Were  nutivesoi  foreign  countries,  Prussia,  Sweden; 
Italy,  Sec. 

It-is  probable  that  some  of  the  seamen  whose  discharges 
were  demanded,  may  not  have  been  uaiive  .citizens  of  dw- 


THE  ENEMY,  17T 

United  States,  but  very  presumable  that  the  greater  part 
were.  Indeed  the  pretext  assigned  for  their  detention 
seems  to  admit  it.  Had  they  been  native  subjects  of.  En 
gland,  being-  there,  their  origin  might  have  been  traced.-— 
But  that  is  the  ground  in  few  instances  only.  In  urging 
that  some  had  no  protection,  or  that  their  protections  were 
irregular  ;  that  others  had  been  exchanged  as  British  pris 
oners  ;  were  impostors  ;  had  attempted  to  desert  ;  did  net 
answer  the  protections  given  them  ;  were  natives  of  Prus 
sia,  Sweden,  8cc.  it  is  fairly  to  be  inferred  that  the  publick 
aulhoriiy  in  England,  to  whom  this  duty  is  assigned,  sought 
rather  to  evade  this  application,  than  to  justify  the  refusal* 
The  pretext  that  some  were  natives  of  Prussia,  Sweden* 
fccc.  deserves  particular  attention.  On  this  circumstance, 
the  Secretary  will  remark  only,  that  in  extending  impress 
ment,  in  American  vessels,,  to  persons  who  could  not  be 
mistaken  for  British  subjects,  and  refusing  to  surrender 
them,  on  application,  to  the  voluntary  service  from  which 
they  were  taken,  it  is  evident  that  the  recovery  ©f  British" 
seamen,  has  not  been  the  sole  object  of  the  practice. 

By  the  report  of  the  American  commissary  of  prison 
ers  in  England,  it  appears  that  a  considerable  number  of 
our  seamen  had  been  transferred  from  British  ships  of  war, 
to  prisons  •;  that  their  exchange  for  British  seamen  taken  ia 
battle  was  demanded,  in  the  first  instance,  but  that  that  claim 
seems  to  have  been  since  waved.  It  might  have  been  ex 
pected  that  the  British  government,  on  bjing  satisfied  that 
these  men,  or  that  any  of  them,  were  American  citizens, 
would  have  liberated  and  sent  them  home,  at  its  ov/u 
charge.  They  are,  however,  still  held  prisoners  in  con.- 
fincment.  '  That  many  of  them,  if  not  all,  are  native  chip 
zeus,  cannot  be  doubted,  for  had  the  proof  been  irresistible, 
it  cannot  be  presumed,  while  so  many  others  are  detained 
en  board  British  ships  of  war,  that  these  would  have  beta 
exempted  from  that  service.  That  many  are  stiil  detained 
on  board  Biilish  ships  of  war  may  be  fairly  inferred,  even 
without  other  evidence,  from  the  indiscriminate. manner ci 
British  impressment  ;  from  the  distant  service  in  which 
the  men  thus  impressed,  are  often  necessarily  employed, 
depriving  their  friends  of  an  opportunity  to  communicate 
with  them  j  and  from  the  inconsiderable  number  discharg- 


178  BARBARITIE3  OF 

cd,  compared  with  that  which  has  been  demanded.  With? 
out  relying  altogether  on  the  reports  heretofore  made  to 
Congress  by  this  department,  the  letter  of  commodore 
Rodgers,  hereanto  annexed,  affords  data  from  which  an  es 
timate  may  be  formed.  On  this  point  the  correspondence 
between  general  Taylor  and  the  captain  of  the  British  ship 
the  Dragon,  and  commodore  Decutur  and  the  commander 
Capel,  deserve  also  particular  attention.  If  the  British  gov 
ernment  would  order  a  strict  search  to  be  made,  through 
the  British  navy,  for  American  seamen,  it  would  then  be 
seen  how  many  of  our  native  citizens  have  participated  in 
tlv:  lot  of  the  unfortunate  men  mentioned  in  the  correspon 
dence  referred  to. 

The  contrast  which  these  documents  present,  in  the 
pretensions  and  conduct  of  Great  Britain,  with  the  preten 
sions  and  conduct  of  the  United  States,  canhot  fail  to  make 
a  deep  impression  in  favour  of  the  hitler.  The  British 
government  impresses  into  its  navy,  native  citizens  of  the 
United  States,  and  compels  them  to  serve  in  it,  and  in  ma 
ny  instances  even  to  fight  against  their  country,  while  it  ar 
rests  as  traitors  and  menaces  with  death,  persons  suspected 
to  be  native  British  subjects,  for  having  fought  under  our 
standard  against  the  British  forces,  although  they  hud  vol 
untarily  entered  into  our  army,  after  having  emigrated  to 
the  United  States,  and  incorporated  themselves  icto  the 
American  society.  The  United  States  on  the  other  hand, 
Lave  forced  no  person  into  their  service,  nor  have  they 
sought,  nor  are  they  disposed  to  punish  any,  who,  after 
having  fairly  emigrated  to  any  part  of  the  British  doniin. 
ions  and  settled  there,  may  have  entered  voluntarily  into 
the  British  army.. 

The  remaining  enquiries  relate  to  objects  other  than  the 
immediate  conduct  of  the  parties  in  the  present  war, — 
They  demand  information  of  the  conduct  of  Great  Britain, 
and  of  other  powers  in  past  times,  without  limitation  in  the 
retrospect,  in  circumstances  bearing  on  the  question  of  re 
taliation.  The  information  required  relates  to  the  follow 
ing  points  : 

1.  The  conduct  of  Great  Britain  and  the  other  nations 
of  Europe,  as  to  naturalization,  and  the  employment  in 
war,  each;  of  the  subjects  of  the  other, 


THE  ENEMY,  1F9 

2.  As  to  the  punishment  of  thsir  native  subjects  taken 
in  arms  against  them,  in  the  service  of  other  powers. 

3.  Examples  of  retaliation  by  the  latter  in  such  cases, 
These  enquiries  necessarily  involve  an 'extensive  re 
search  into  the  history  and  jurisprudence  of  the  nations  of 
Europe.     For  so  important  a  task,  the  o-her  duties  of  the 
secretary  of  state,  have  altogether  disqualified   him,   since 
the  call  was  made.     The  approaching  close   of  the  session 
does  not  leave  him  time  for  more   than  the  following  ob 
servations  : 

That  all  the  nations  of  Europe  naturalize  foreigners  ; 

That  they  all  employ  in  their  service  the  subjects  of 
each  other,  and  frequently  against  their  native  countries, 
even  when  not  regularly  naturalized  ; 

That  they  ail  allow  their  own  subjects  toemigrate  to  for 
eign  countries  ; 

That  although  examples  may  be  found  of  the  punish 
ment  of  their  native  subjects  taken  in  arms  against  them, 
the  examples  are  few,  and  have  either  been  marked  by 
peculiar  circumstances,  taking  them  out  of  the  controvert 
ed  principle,  or  having  proceeded  from  the  passions  or 
policy  of  the  occasion.  Even  in  prosecutions  uncl  convic 
tions,  having  the  latter  origin,  the  final  act  of  punishment, 
has,  with  iiule  exception,  been  prevented  by  a  sense  of 
equity  and  humanity,  or  a  dread  of  retaliation.  It  is  confi 
dently  believed  that  no  instance  can  be  found  in  which  the 
ailedged  purpose  of  the  enemy  against  the  twenty-three 
prisoners  in  question,  under  all  the  circumstances  which 
belong  to  their  case,  even  though  many  of  them  may  not 
Luvc  been  regularly  naturalized,  are  countenanced  by  the 
proceedings  of  any  European  nation  ; 

That  if  no  instances  occur  ol  reputation,  in  the  few  cases 
requiring  it,  or  in  any  of  them,  by  the  governments  em 
ploying  such  persons,  it  has  been,  as  is  presumed,  because 
the  punishment  which  had  been  inflicted  by  the  native 
country,  might  be  accounted  for  on  some  principle  other 
than  its  denkl  of  the  right  of  emigration  and  naturalization. 
Had  the  govef'ument  employing  the  persons  so  punished 
by  thbir  native  country,  retaliated  in  such  cases,  it  might 
have  incurred  the  reproach  either  of  countenancing  ac 
knowledged  crimes, oi^of  following  the  example  of  the  oth. 


130  BARBARITIES  OF 

er  party  in  acts  of  cruelty,  ctfciting  horrour,  rather  than 
of  fulfilling  its  pledge  to  innocent  persons  in  support  of 
rights  fairly  obtained,  ancl  sanctioned  by  the  general  opin 
ion  and  practiee,  of  the  nations  of  Europe,  ancient  and 
modern. 

All  which  is  respectfully  submitted. 

(Signed)  JAS,  MONHOE. 

JDepartment  of  State,  Jlfirzl  14, 1814. 


'Copy  of  a  letter  from  Commodore  Rodgcrs  to  the  Secretary 

of  ths  Navy, -dated 
U.S.  frigate  President,  Boston,  Jan.  14,  1812. 

SIR — Herewith  you  will  receive  two  muster-books  of  his 
B.  M.  vessels  Moselle  and  Sappho,  found  on  board  of  the 
British  packet  Swallow.  As  the  British  have  always  de 
nied  that  they  detained  on  board  their  ships  of  war,  Amer 
ican  citizens;  knowing  them  to  be  such,  I  send  you  the  en» 
closed  as  a  publick  document  of  their  own,  to  prove  how 
illy  such  an  assertion  accords  with  their  practice.  It  will 
appear  by  these  two  muster-Looks,  that  >so  late  as  August 
last,  Lboiit  one  eighth  pait  of  the  Moselle  and  Sappho's 
crcsvs  were  Americans  !  Consequently  if  there  is  only  a 
quarter  part  of  the  proportion  on  board  their  other  vessels, 
they  have  an  uifiijiicly  greater  r.umbcr  of  Americans  in 
their  sefvice,  than  any  American  has  yet  had  an  idea  of.— 
Any  further  comment  of  mine  on  this  subject,  I  consider 
unnecessary,  as  the  enclosed  documents  speak  but  too 
plainly  for  themselves. 

I  have  the  honour,  Sec. 

JOHN  RODGERS. 

Hon.  Paul  Hamilton^  secretary  of  the  navy. 

Copy  of  c  letter  from  Canmodorc  Dccatur^  to  the  Secreta 
ry  cf  tiie  JVa~vy,  dated 

U.S.  ship  United  States,       ~> 
New-London,  March,  18,  18J4.         5 
Sin — I  have  the  honour  to  forward  to  you   cnclos-ed,  a 
desp.uch  received  by  me   from   captain    Capel,  the  com" 
manding;  officer  of  the  British  squadron  before  this  po11. 


THE  ENEMY.  181 

written  in  reply  to  an  anticipation  of  mine,  for  the  release 
of  an  American  seaman,  detained  against  his  will,  on  board 
the  frigate  Statira. 

Hiram  Thayer,  born  in  the  town  of  Greenwich,  in  the 
county  of  Hampshire,  and  commonwealth  of  Massachu 
setts,  was  impressed  into  the  naval  service  of  G.  Britain  in 
Aug.  1803,  and  detained  ever  since.  About  sis  years  ago, 
•when  the  Statira  was  put  in  commission,  he  was  transfer 
red  to  her,  and  has  been  constantly  on  board  her  to  this  day. 

I  was  informed,  and  in  fact  it  was  stated  by  captain 
Stackpoie  to  lieutenant  Hamilton,  who  was  charged  with 
the  flag,  that  the  late  general  Lyman,  our  consul  at  Lon- 
;don,  made  application  to  the  lords  commissioners  for  the 
discharge  of  Thayer,  but  they  were  not  satisfied  with  the 
evidence  of  his  nativity, 

John  Thayer,  the  father  of  Hiram,  assures  me,  that  the 
certificate  of  the  selectmen,  the  town  clerk,  and  the  min 
isters  of  Greenwich,  were  forwarded  sometime  ago  to  Mr, 
Mitchell,  the  resident  agent  of  American  prisoners  of  war 
at  Halifax,  dut  does  not  know  the  reason  why  he  was  not 
released  then. 

The  son  has  written  to  his  father,  and  informed  him, 
that  on  his  representing  to  captain  Stackpoie,  that  he  was 
an  Americas  ciiizen  and  would  not  fight  against  his  coun 
try,  that  captain  Stackpoie  told  him  "  if  they  fell  in  with  an 
American  man  of  war,  and  he  did  not  do  his  duty,  he  should 
be  tied  to  the  mast  and  shot  at  like  a  dog." 

On  Monday  the  14th  inst.  John  Thayer  requested  me  to 
allow  him  a  flag  to  go  off  to  the  enemy,  and  ask  for  the  re 
lease  of  his  son.  This  I  granted  at  once,  and  addressed  a 
note  to  captain  Capel,  stating  that  I  felt  persuaded  that  the 
application  of  the  father,  furnished  as  he  was  with  conclu 
sive  evidence  of  the  nativity  and  identity  of  his  son,  would 
induce  an  immediate  order  for  his  discharge.  The  reply- 
is  enclosed.  The  son  descried  his  father  at  a  distance  in  a 
boat,  and  told  the  first  lieutenant  of  the  Statira  that  it  was 
Ins  father,  and  I  understand  the  feelings  manifested  by  the 
old  man  on  receiving  the  hand  of  his  son,  proved  beyond 
all  other  evidence  the  property  he  had  in  him.  There  was 
not  a  doubt  left  on  the  mind  of  a  single  British  officer  of 

Q 


182  BARBARITIES  OF 

Hiram  Thayer's  being  an  American  citizen — and  yet  hels 
detained,  not  as  a  prisoner  of  war,  but  compelled,  under  the 
most  cruel  threats,  to  serve  the  enemies  of  his  country. 

Thayer  has  so  recommended  himselt  by  his  sobriety,  in 
dustry  and  seamanship,  as  to  be  appointed  a  boatswain's 
mate,  and  is  now  serving  in  that  capacity  in  the  Statira — 
rnd  he  says  there  is  due  to  him  from  the  British  govern 
ment  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  sterling.  He  has 
dso  assured  his  father  that  he  has  always  refused  to  receive 
xry  bounty  or  advance,  lest  it  might  afford  some  pretext 
for  denying  him  his  discharge  whenever  a  proper  applica 
tion  should  be  made  for  it. 

I  am,  sir,  with  the  highest  consideration,  yourmost  ob«- 
cient  servant. 

STEPHEN  DECATUR. 

Cafitain  CafieCs  letter  enclosed. 

H.  M.  ship  La  Hogue,  off  New-London,   > 
March  14,  1814.          3 

SIR— -I  have  the  honour  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of 
your  letter,  together  with  the  certificates  of  exchange  and 
discharge  from  parole,  forwarded  to  you  at  the  request  of 
colonel  Barclay,  the  commissary  general  of  British  prison 
ers  of  war  ;  and  1  beg  to  return  you  thanks  for  your  polite 
attention. 

I  regret  that  it,is  not  in  my  power  to  comply  with  your 
request  in  ordering  the  son  of  John  Thayer  to  be  discharg 
ed  from  his  majesty's  ship  ^tatira  ;  but  I  will  forward  your 
application  to  the  commander  in  chief  by  the  earliest  op 
portunity,  and  I  have  ho  doubt  he  will  order  his  immediate 
discharge. 

I  arn.  sir,  with  great  consideration  and  respect,  your 
roost  obedient  and  very  humble  servant, 

THOS.  CAPEL,     Cafltazn, 
Commanding  his  British  Majesty**  squadron, 

Off  tow-London. 

To  Cam.  Drcotiii')  commanding  the 
U<  S  ttquadroH)  NcwLondcn. 

^ 


,       THE  ENEMV, 

Mr.  Mitchell  to  Admiral  Warren. 

December  I,  1812. 

— Since  the  sailing-  of  the  last  cartel  in  which  you 
were  pleased  to  send  home  several  Americans  wbo  had 
been  in  his  Britannick  majesty's  service.  Others  who  are 
How  on  board  of  the  Centurion  and  Statira,  have  requested 
of  me  to  procure  their  discharge  arid  be  sent  home-  Will 
you,  sir,  have  the  gocdness  to  direct  an  enquiry  and  order 
the  release  ol  such  as  are  citizens  of  the  United  States,— 
Besides  the  inclosed  lists,  I  am  told  there  are  others  vrhose 
names  I  have  not.  I  have  the  honour  to  be,  See. 

Admiral  Warren's  answer  to  Mr.  Mitchell. 

December  1,  1812. 

SIR—  1  have  the  honour  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  ef 
your  letter  of  this  date,  respecting  seme  men  therein  men 
tioned,  on  bo:;rd  his  majesty's  ships  under  my  command, 
said  to  be  citizens  of  the  United  States,  and  in  reply,  beg  to 
acquaint  you  that  whenever  lhave  received  representations 
from  the  captains  of  any  part  of  their  crews  being  citizens 
c»f  America,  with  sufficient  proof  of  their  nativity,  1  have 
directed  their  discharge  from  the  service.  1  must  observe 
to  you  that  I  cannot  permit  the  interference  of  any  appli 
cations  from  men  belonging  to  his  majesty's  ships,  but 
through  their  commanding  officers — and  in  yuvir  depart 
ment  of  prisoners  of  war  I  shall  at  all  times  be  most  hap 
py  to  receive  your  communications.  1  have  the  honour  Sec. 

Mr.  MitchtU  to  Admiral  Warren. 

December  3,  1812. 

SIR — I  had  yesterday  the  honour  to  receive  ^our  letter 
dated  the  1st  inst.  and  observe  that  ycu  cannot  permit  the 
interference  of  any  application  from  men  on  board  his 
British  majesty's  ships,  but  through  their  commanding  oi- 
ficci-fi.  Desirous  of  conforming  us  far  as  possible  to  estab 
lished  regulations,  peririt  me  the  honour  to  inquire  of  your 
excellency,  if  by  your  letter  1  am  to  understand  that  I  an* 
not  to  receive  the  applications  of  seamen  declaring  them 
selves  citizens  of  the  United  States  who  are  on  board  his 
majesty's  ships  of  war  and  communicate  the  same  to  you. 
If  this  is  the  meaning,  I  shall  most  earnestly  conform, 
though  I  regret  the  regulation.  I  have  the  hoiiuor,  &e, 


1*1  BARBARITIES  OF 

Admiral  Warren  to  Mr.  Mitchell. 

December  4,  1812. 

Sni —In  reply  to  your  letter  dated  yesterday,  I  have  to 
acquaint  you  that  whenever  my  address  is  -made  relative  to 
IT, en  on  board  his  majesty's  ships,  it  must  he  by  the  com* 
rnanders  of  such  ships  direct,  I  cannot  permit  any  appli 
cation  by  other  persons  in- time  of  war  but  in  the  above 
mode.  It  will  always  afford  me  pleasure  to  attend  to  your 
•wishes  in  any  respect  relative  to  the  situation  or  exchange 
edf  prisoners,  or  to  afford  any  i'.ici  or  relief  in  my  power. 
I  have  the  honour  to  be,  &c. 

JOHN  BORLASE  WARREN. 


THE  CONDUCT  OF  WASHINGTON, 


of  a  letter  frnm  T/MK-Z*  Jrfferwn,  Esq.  secretary 
tC)  under  the  direction  ofGeorg?  Washington)  fir  ev 
ident  of  the  United  States^  to  7 hornets  Pinckneij^  minister 
pt&tipctcnttary  cfths  United  States  at  London^  dated 

"  Department  of  State — July  1 1,  1792. 
"  THE  peculiar  custom  in  England  ofimpresEiag  sea 
men  on  eve;  y  appearance  of  Avar,  will  occasionally  expf  sc 
•our  seamen  to  peculiar  oppressions  and  vexutions.  It  will 
Le  expedient  that  you  take  proper  opportunities,  in  the 
mean  time,  of  conferring  with  the  minister  on  this  sub 
ject,  in  order  to  form  some  arrangement  for  the  protection 
of  our  seamen  on  those  occasions.  We  entirely  reject  the 
11  sod c  which  was  the  subject  of  the  subject  of  a  conversa 
tion  between  Mr.  Morris  and  him,  which  was  that  our  sea- 
IP  '.MI  should  a!  -.vays  carry  about  them  certificates  of  tneii* 
chlzenship  :  This  is  a  condition  never  yet  submitted  to  by 
any  natirm  ;  one  with  which  seamen  would  never  huve  the 
caution  to  comply  :  the  casualties  of  their  culling  would 
c  :--^o:e  them  to  the  constant  destruction  or  loss  of  this  pu- 
per  evidence,  i;nd  thus  the  British  government  would  be 
urracd  ^kii  Irgzlzuihority  to  impress  rlui  -.vhole  of  our  sqa- 


THE  ENEMY.  185 

men.  The  simplest  rule  will  be,  that  the  vessel  being  A- 
merican,  sUall  be  evidence  that  the  seamen  on  board  her 
are  such.  If  they  apprehend  that  our  vessels  might  thus 
become  assylums  for  the  fugitives  of  their  own  nation  from 
impress  gangs,  the  number  of  men  to  be  protected  by  a 
vessel  may  be  limited  by  her  tonnage,  and  one  or  two  offi 
cers  only  be  permitted  to  enter  the  vessel  in  order  to  ex 
amine  the  number  on  board  ;  but  no  press  gang  should  be 
allowed  ever  to  go  on  board  an  American  vessel,  till  after 
it  shall  be  found  that  there  are  more  than  their  stipulated 
number  on  board,  nor  till  after  the  the  master  shall  have 
refused  to  deliver  the  supernumeraries  §  (to  be  named  by 
himself)  to  the  press  officer  who  has  come  on  board,  for 
that  purpose  ;  and  even  then  the  American  consul  shall  be 
called  in.  In. order  to  urge  a  settlement  of  this  point  be 
fore  a  new  occasion  may  arise,  it  may  not  be  amiss  to  draw 
their  attention  to  the  peculiar  irritation  excited  on  the  last 
occasion)  and  the  difficulty  of  avoiding  our  making  immediate 
refirisats  on  their  seamen  here.  You  will  be  so  good  as  to 
communicate  to  me  what  shall  pass  on  this  subject,  and  it 
may  be  made  an  article  of  convention  to  be  entered  into  ei 
ther  there  or  here.'* 

Extract  of  a  letter  from  Thomas  Jefferson^  Esq.  when  sec 
retary  ofstatCj  under  the  direction  of  George  Washing 
ton,  president  of  the  United  .States,  to  Thomas 
minister  plenipotentiary  of  the  United  States  at 
dated  October  12,  1792. 

"  I  enclose  you  a  copy  of  a  letter  from  Messrs.  Blow  •&• 
Melhaddo,  merchants  of  Virginia,  complaining  of  the  tak 
ing  away  of  their  sailors*  on  the  coast  of  Africa,  by  the 
commander  of  a  British  armed  vessel.  So  many  instances 
of  this  kind  have  happened,  that  it  is  quite  necessary  that 
their  government  should  explain  themselves  oiv  the  sub 
ject,  and  be  led  to  disavow  and  punish  such  conduct.  I 
leave  to  your  discretion  to  endeavour  to  obtain  this  satis 
faction  by  such  friendly  discussions  as  may  be  most  likely 
to  produce  the  desired  effect,  and  secure  to  our  commerce 
that  protection  against  Baitish  violence  which  it  has  never 
experienced  from  any  other  nation.  No  law  forbids  the 


186  *  BARBARITIES  OF 

seamen  of  any  country  4o  engage,  in  time  of  peace,  on 
board  a  foreign  vessel  ;  no  law  authorises  such  seamen  to 
break  his  contract,  nor  the  armed  vessels  of  his  nation  to 
interpose  force  for  his  rescue/'* 

*  Such  were  the  fentiments   of  the    father   of  his   conutry,   GCORCE 
WASHI  NGTON,  when  he  was  prefident  of  the  United  States,    concerning 
one  o(  the  iubjccls  now  in  diipute  between  America  and    Great    Britain. 
It  feems  that  he  even  denied  the  right  of  England,  to   imprefs  Britijh    fub- 

jeQfj  and  demanded  that  the  men  who  had  done  it,  frould  be  puniihed. 

Mr.  Pickering,  secretary  of  state,   under  the.   direction   of 
president  Washington,- to  Mr.  King,  dated 

<*  Department  of  State,  Sept.  10,  1796. 
«  I  enclose  a  letter  from  Francis  S.  Taylor,  deputy  col 
lector,  of  Norfolk,  relative  to  four  impressed  seamen.  It 
appears,  to  be  written  with  candour,  and  merits  attention. 
If.  as  the  captain  of  the  Prevoyante  (Wemyss)  says,  the 
dignity  of  the  British  government  will  not  permit  an  en 
quiry  on  board  their  ships  for  American  seamen,  their 
doom  is  fixed  for  the  war  :  and  thus  the  rights  of  an  inde 
pendent  neutral  nation  are  to  be  sacrificed  to  British  dig' 
Tiity  I  Justice  requires  that  such  inquiries  and  e.xamina- 
t'ons  should  be  made,  because  the  liberation  of  our  seamen 
TV  ill  otherwise  be  impossible.  For  the  British  government 
then,  io  make  professions  of  respect  to  the  rights  of  our 
citizens,  and  willingness  to  release  them,  and  yet  deny  the 
only  means  of  ascertaining  those  rights,  is  an  insulting  tan- 
t&Ubm.  If  such  orders  have  been  given  to  the  British  com 
manders  (and  Mr.  Lit  son's  communication,  in  the  conver 
sation  of  which  I  sent  you  a  copy  in  my  letter  of  the  31st 
ult.  countenances  the  idea)  tbe  agency  of  colonel  Talbot 
and  Mr.  Trumbull  will  be  fruitless,  and  the  sooner  ive 
know  it  the  better.*  But  I  would  fain  hope  other  things  j 
nnd  if  the  British  government  have  any  regard  to  our 
rights,  any  respect  for  our  nation,  and  place  any  value  on 
« 

*  By  this  and  other  parts  of  the  cwrrefpondencc,  it  would    feem,  that 
JvJr.  Pickering,  ana  p.iio  p  re  fid  en  t  Wafhington,  under  whofe   fpecial   di- 
jefttion  this  let  er  was  written,   were  both  of  the   epinion,  that  a    war 
cught  to,  and  probably  would  take  place  between  the  two  countries,  up. 
®o  the  fubj^6t  of  impreisnimt, 


THE  ENEMY*  1 87 

our  friendship,  they  will  even  facilitate  to  us  the  means  of 
relieving  our  oppressed  citizens.  The  subject  of  our  im 
pressed  seamen  makes  a  part  of  your  instructions  ;  but  the 
president  now  renews  his  desire  that  their  relief  may  en 
gage  your  special  attention.  1  am,  sir.  Sec. 

(Signed)  TIMOTHY  PICKERING, 

Rufus  King,  Esq.  &c.  &c. 

Extract  of  a  letter  from  Mr.  Pickering)  under   the   direc 
tion  of  president  Washigton,  to  Mr.  King,  dated 

"  Department  of  State,  October  26,  1796. 
"  I  think  it  is  mentioned  in  your  instructions  that  the 
British  naval  officers  often  impress  Swedes,  Danes  and  oth 
er  foreigners,  from  the  vessels  of  the  United  States  :  They 
have  even  sometimes  impressed  Frenchmen.  If  there  should 
be  time  to  make  out  a  copy  of  a  protest  lately  received,  it 
shall  be  enclosed,  describing  the  impress  of  a  Dane,  and  a 
Portuguese.  This  surely  is  an  abuse  easy  to  correct. — 
They  cannot  pretend  an  inability  to  distinguish  these  for 
eigners  from  their  own  subjects  ;  and  they  may  with  as 
much  reason,  rob  American  vessels  of  the  property  or  mer 
chandize  of  Swedes,  Danes  and  Portuguese,  as  seize  and 
detain  in  their  service  the  subjects  of  those  nations  found 
on  board  American  vessels.  The  president  is  extremely 
anxious  to  have  this  business  of  impresses  placed  on  a  rea 
sonable  footing." 

Extract  of  a  letter  from  Mr.  Pickering,  secretary  of  slate, 
under  the  direction  of  president  Adams,  to  Silas    Talbot, 
*  dated 

"  Department  of  State,  August  15,  1797. 
"  I  was  pleased  with  your  success  in  obtaining  relief  for 
so  many  American  seamen,  as  mentioned  in  your  several 
letters  :  but  your  last,  containing  the  orders  of  Admiral 
Parker  to  his  captains  no  longer  to  obey  the  writs  of  habeas 
corpus,  gave  me  much  uneasiness.  Yesterday  I  gave  those 
letters  to  the  British  minister  Mr.  Listen;  and  wish  he 
may  do  something  to  afford  you  a  prospect  of  furlher  suc 
cess  :  but  1  fear,  notwithstanding  he  is  perfectly  well  dis 
posed  to  administer  relief,  that  his  remonstrances  or  re- 


183  BARBARITIES  OF 

quests  will  have  too  little  effect.  I  shall  transmit  copies  o.f 
these  letters  to  Mr.  King,  our  minister  in  London,  to  lay 
before  the  British  ministry.  If  any  naval  officers  shall 
have  committed  such  an  outrage  on  any  American  seamen 
as  to  bring  them  to  the  gangway,  as  you  mention,  or  to  in 
flict  any  kind  of  punishment  on  them,  especially  for  seeking 
opportunities  to  inform  you  of  their  situation,  for  the  pur 
pose  of  obtaining  the  just  relief  to  which  they  are  entitled, 
pray  endeavour  to  get  proper  proofs  of  the  fact,  that  I  may 
make  it  the  subject  of  a  special  representation  to  the  Brit 
ish  government." 

Extract  of  a  letter  to  Rufus  King,  esquire,  from  the  secre 
tary  of  State,  dated— 

"  TRENTON,  October  3,  179T. 

"  Lord  Grenville's  observations  on  the  act  of  Congress 
for  the  relief  and  protection  of  American  seamen,  present 
difficulties  which  demand  consideration  at  the  ensuing 
session.  But  your  reasoning,  in  your  letter  to  his  lordship 
of  the  30th  of  last.  November,  is  conclusive  against  the 
British  pretences  to  retain  real  American  seamen  who  are 
married  in  tHcir  dominions,  or  who  have  voluntarily  en 
tered  on  board  British  vessels.  It  behoves  the  honour  and 
fdith  of  the  British  government  to  adhere  to  their  princi 
ple  on  natural  allegiance  wholly,  or  to  renounce  it  wholly  : 
and  an  answer  on  this  point  would  have  become  his  lord 
ship's  candor. 

"  I  consider  colonel  Talbot 's  agency  in  the  West  Indies 
to  bs  no  longer  very  important.  The  rigid  conduct  of  ad 
miral  sir  Hyde  Parker,  (who  from  the  beginning  has  thrown 
obstacles  in  the  way)  leaves  but  little  room  to  get  our  sea 
men  released.  The  opposition  of  the  officers  in  general, 
ifcdueed  colonel  Talbot  to  take  out  writs  of  habeas  corpua 
at  Jamaica,  by  which,  directly,  or  in  their  consequences, 
he  obtained  the  discharge  of  neai  fifty  seamen  ;  but  admi 
ral  Parker  has  some  time  past  forbidden  his  officers  to  pay 
any  obedience  to  such  writs  ;  and  col,  Talbot  informs  me 
that  some  of  our  seamen  ha\e  been  punished  for  attempt 
ing  to  send  letters  to  him  to  inform  of  their  situation.— - 
Mr,  Li§;Qfl  has  assured  me  that  the  British  officers  have 


THE  ENEMY.  185 

orders  not  to  impress  any  American  seamen,  and  of  course 
not  to  retain  against  their  will  any  already  impressed  ;  but 
if  they  persist  in  obstructing  every  channel  of  information 
*nd  proof  of  their  citizenship,  such  orders  are  and  >vili 
continue  deceptive." 


Ihc   Secretary    of  Slate  to   the  President   of  ihz    United 
States — DEPARTMENT  OF  STATE,  fcbruary  20,  1800. 

The  secretary  has  the  honour  to  lay  before  the  Presi 
dent — 

Mr.  Listen's  note  of  the  4th  February,  together  with  his 
project  of  a  treaty  for  the  reciprocal  delivery  of  deserters  ; 
which  appears  to  the  secretary  utterly  inadmissible,  unless 
it  would  an  end  to  impressments,  which  Mr.  Listen  seem 
ed  to  imagine,  while  the  7th  paragragh  of  his  project  ex 
pressly  recognizes  the  right  of  impressing  British  sub 
jects,  and  consequent! v  American  citizens,  as  at  present. 
(Signed)  TIMOTHY  PICKERING,* 

*  By  iL's  it  would  Teem  that  no  treaty  w»i!i  England  wou'd  b?  laris- 
tatiory  to  Mr.  Pickering  "  un/efi  it  would  put  an  end  tj  imprejj'ments.^ — 
And  that,  in  his  opinion,  every  "  project  of  a  treaty"  with  shot  nation 
ought  to  be  r<r/V7<r:/~  which  did  not  exprejsly  ilifulate  agaiofl,  and  "  put 
311  end  to  imprelliaents." 


Extract  of  a  letter  from  John  Marshall,  esquire^*   Secrete* 

nj  of  State,  to  Rufus  King,  Minister  PltnijKjtentiary    of 

the  United  States  at  Londfj:i^  dated- — 

"DEPARTMENT  or  STATE,  Sept.  20,  1800. 

"  The  impressment  of  our  seamen  is  an   injury  of  very 
serious  magnitude,  which  deeply  affects  the  ieeliwgs  yi-,1.. 
the  honour  of  the  nation. 

a  This  valuable  class  of  men  is  corn-posed  of  natives  amL 
foreigners  who  engage  voluntarily  in  cur  service. 

u  No  right  has  been  asserted  to  impress  the   natives  of,, 

*  Now  Chief  Juflice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  ihs  United  State;,,.., 


130  BARBARITIES  OF 

America.  Yet  they  are  dragged  on  board  British  ships  of 
\var,  with  the  evidence  of  citizenship  in  their  hands,  and 
forced  by  violence  there  to  service,  until  conclusive  testi 
monials  of  their  birth  can  be  obtained.  These  must  most 
generally  be  sought  for  on  this  side  the  Atlantic.  In  the 
mean  tiave  acknowledged  violence  is  practised  on  a  free 
citizen  of  the  United  Slates,  by  compelling  him  lo  engage, 
and  to  continue  in  foreign  service.  Although  the  lords  of 
the  Admiralty  uniformly  direct  their  charge  on  the  pro 
duction  of  this  testimony*  yet  many  must  perish  unreliev 
ed,  and  all  are  detained  a  considerable  time  in  lawless  and 
injurious  confinement. 

"  It  is  the  duty  as  well  as  the  right"  of  a  friendly  nation, 
to  require  that  measures  be  taken  by  the  British  goverii- 
inent  to  prevent  the  continued  repetition  of  such  violence 
by  its  agents.  This  can  only  be  done  by  punishing  and 
frowning  on  those  who  perpetrate  it.  The  mere  release 
of  the  injured,  after  a  long  course  of  service  and  of  suffer 
ing,  is  no  compensation  for  the  past,  and  no  security  for 
the  future.  It.  is  impossible  not  to  believe,  that  the  deci 
sive  interference  of  the  government  in  this  respect,  would 
prevent  a  practice,  the  continuance  of  which  must  inevita 
bly  produce  discord  between  two  nations  which  ought  to 
be  the  friends  of  each  other. 

"  Those  seamen   who,  born  in  a  foreign  conntry,  have 
been  adopted  by  this,  were  either  the  subjects  of  Britain  or 
some  otfrer  power. 

"  The  right  to  impress  those  who  were  British  subjects 
has  been  asserted,  and  the  right  to  impress  those  of  every 
other  nation  has  not  been  disclaimed, 

"  Neither  the  one  practice  nf:>r  the  other  can  be  justified. 

"  With  the  naturalization  of  foreigners,  no  other  nation 
can  interfere  further  than  the  rights  of  that  other  are  af 
fected.  The  rights  of  Britain  are  certainly  not  affected  by 
the  naturalization  of  other  than  British  subjects.  Conse 
quently  those  persons  who,  according  to  our  laws,  are  cit- 
zensj  must  be  so  consisdered  by  Britain,  and  by  every  oth 
er  power  not  having  a  conflicting  claim  t©  the  person. 

"  The  United  States  therefore  require  positively,,  that 
their  seamen,  who  are  not  British  subjects,  whether  born 


THE  ENEMY.  191 

in, America  or  elsewhere,  shall  be  exempt  from  impress 
ments. 

"  The  case  of  British  subjects,  whether  naturalized  or 
not,  is  more  questionable  ;  but  the  right  even  to  impress 
them  is  denied.  The  practice  of  the  British  government 
itself,  may  certianly  in  a  controversy,  with  that  govern 
ment,  be  rejied  on.  The  privileges  it  cames  and  exercis 
es  ought  to.  be  ceded  to  others.  To  deny  this  would  be  to 
deny  the  equality  of  nations,  and  to  make  it  a  question  of 
power  and  not  of  right. 

"  If  the  practice  of  the  British  government  may  be  quot 
ed,  that  practice  is  to  maintain  and  defend  in  their  sea  ser 
vice,  all  those,  of  any  nation,  who  have  voluntarily  engaged 
in  it,  or  how,  according  to  their  laws,  have  become  British 
subjects. 

"  Alien  seamen,  not  .British  subjects,  engaged  in  our 
merchant  §eryice,,,ought  to  be  equally  exempt  with  citizens 
from  impressments  :  we  have  a  right  to  engage,  them,  and 
have  a  right  to  and  an  interest  in  their  persons  to  the  extent 
of  the  service,  contracted  to  be  performed.  Britain  has  no 
pretext  of  right, to  their  persons  or  to  their  service.  To 
tear  them,  then,  from  our  possession,  is  at  the  same  time 
an  insult  and  an  injury.  It  is  an  act  of  violence,  fur  which 
there  exists  no  paliatiye. 

"  We  know  well  that  the  difficulty  of  distinguishing  be 
tween  native  A.merican  and  British  subjects  has  been  used, 
\yith  respect  to  natives,,  as  an  apology  for  the  injuries  com 
plained  of.  It  is  not  pretended  that  this  apology  can  be 
extended  to  the  case  of  foreigners,  and  even  with  repect 
to  natives  we  doubt  the  existence  of  the  difficulty  alledged. 
W  e  know  well  that  among  that  class  of  people  who  are 
seamen,  we  can  readily  distinguish  between  a  native  A- 
merican  and  a  person  raised  to  manhood  in  Great  Britain. 
cr  Ireland;  and  we  do  not  perceive  any  reason  why  the 
capacity  of  making  this  distinction  should  not  be  possessed 
in  the  same  degree  by  one  nation  as  by  the  other. 

"  If,  therefore^  no  regulation  can  be  formed  which  shall 
effectually  secure  all  seamen  on  board  American  mer 
chantmen,  we  have  a  right  to  expect  from  the  justice  of 
the  British  government,  from  its  regard  for  the  friendship 


152  BARBARITIES  OF 

of  the  United  States  and  its 'own  honour,  that  it  will  mam- 
fest  the  sincerity  of  Us  wishes  to  repress  this  offence,  by- 
punishing-  those  who  commit  it. 

"  We  hope,  however,  that  an  agreement  may  be  enter 
ed  into  satisfactory  and  beneficial  to  both  parties*  The 
article  which  appears  to  have  been  transmitted  by  my  pre 
decessor,  while  it  satisfies  this  country,  will  probably  re 
store  to  the  naval  service  of  Britain  a  greater  number  of 
seamen  than  will  be  lost  by  it.  Should  we  even  be  mis 
taken  in  this  calculation,  yet  the  difference  cannot  be  put 
in  competition  with  the  mischief  which  may  result  from 
the  irritation  justly  excited,  by  this  practice  throughout  the 
United  States.  The  extent  and  the  justness  of  the  resent 
ments  it  produces,  may  be  estimated  in  Britain,  by  inquir 
ing  what  impressions  would  be  made  on  them  by  similar 
conduct  on  the  part  of  this  government. 

"  Should  we  impress  from  the  merchant  service  of 
Britain,  not  only  Americans  but  foreigners,  and  even  Brit 
ish  subjects,  how  long  would  such  -e  course  of  injury  unre- 
dressed  be  permitted  to  pass  unrevenged  ?  How  long 
would  the  government  be  content  with  unsuccessful  re 
monstrance  and  unavailing  memorials  ?  I  believe,  sir,  that 
only  the  most  prompt  correction  of,  compensation  for,  the 
abuse,  would  be  admitted  as  satisfaction  in  such  a  case. 

"  If  the  principles  of  this  government  forbid  it  to  retali 
ate  by  impressments,  there  is  yet  another  mode  which 
might  be  resorted  to.  We  might  authorise  our  ships  of 
v/ar,  though  not  to  impress,  yet  to  recruit  sailors  on  board 
British  merchantmen.  Such  are  the  inducements  to  en 
ter  into  our  naval  service  that  we  believe  even  this  prac 
tice  would  very  seriously  affect  the  navigation  of  Britain. 
How,  sir,  would  it  be  received  by  the  British  nation  ? 

"  Is  it  not  more  advisable  to  desist  from,  end  to  take  ef 
fectual  measures  to  prevent,  an  acknowledged  wrong, 
than  byperseverence  in  that  wrong,  to  excite  against  them- 
selves  the  well  founded  resentments  of  America,  and  force 
our  government  into  measures  which  may  very  possibly  tcr 
minatc  in  an  often  rupture,'9 


. 


V 


